Sunday, June 7

As I walk I notice people still keeping distance from each other. The couple ahead of me have speeded up to prevent me getting any closer. The woman with the dog going the other way practically walked into a ditch as she passed me, to maximise their distance from me.

I join in with this to some extent. I share the feeling of better safe than sorry. I do worry, though, that people seem to have extended this caution to include not smiling. As another dog owner walks towards me at the extreme edge of the path I look down at the dog and then look up and smile at the owner.

I get a frozen grimace in exchange.

This happens more than once and I start to wonder whether my smile appears like the leer of a madman to those approaching me. I begin looking at the ground as people approach.

This seems to work better, although I can’t really tell because I can only see the ground.