Sunday, August 3

Today we are back at the village play, only this time as volunteers. Irma and Naa are helping make and serve the coffee and cakes, and I have been outside with Patrik parking the cars. Patrik studies maths and philosophy at Helsinki University, and we have both been equipped with fluorescent yellow jackets and walkie-talkies. The only reason we have the latter is to look official when we point at parking spaces.

Now the cars are parked and we are both in the backstage area, which also doubles as the cafe, and is a boat building shed the rest of the year. I am looking at the door when one of the actresses walks in from the sunlight.

Once cakes and coffee have been served our jobs will be over and we will return home to find a hen walking round the garden. We will do some washing in the bright sunlight and when that it done we will decide to sit for one last time in the garden drinking a lonkero. This will involve me going to get some from Tirmo which will give me a last sumer adventure.

Because of the play there will be an unusual amount of cars going to the mainland and the ferry will fill and set off five minutes early. I will go to the shop and, at the checkout desk, I will spot that the ferry has not yet returned. I will grab the cans and race out. Just as I leave the shop I will heare the distinctive sound of the barrier being lowered, followed by the sound of the ramp being raised. I will raise along in front of the shop waving my arm and, to my surprise, I will hear the sounds in reverse. The ferry has stopped for me.

I run round the corner and down the road. As I pass the barrier it lowers and as I jump on the ramp is immediately raised. I look up to wave thanks to the driver and he is laughing uproariously and wave back. He has waited for me before, but never from that distance. Irma claims that it is some sort of private joke that he and I have, and she may be right.