The Wanderlust Lady and the Door to Door Salesman - 9

September 7, 2012

It was mid afternoon when I got back to Minnie's house. It looked just like before – untidy garden – curtains just as they'd been left. I knocked and knocked, as I had before, and did the odd bit of shouting. I even walked around the side of the house to see what was out back, as it had been too dark when I was out there last time I was here, but there was only a small yard where she had a clothes line but nothing on it.

So I repeated my actions from before, and took the key from beneath the flower pot, and let myself in. The place smelled musty – but that probably was only because it had had no fresh air in for a few days. I did the rounds of the rooms – and found that things were exactly as I left them, except for the pile of mail near the front door. I had a quick glance through it – mostly junk mail without even a proper address on – but there was one hand-delivered one addressed to Miss W Jones. So now I at least knew her last name. That was something. I wondered what the W stood for, but nothing struck me as obvious. I put the letter to one side – and threw the junk mail in the bin

Now that I was here, and Minnie wasn't, I had to make some decisions. I intended to stay – and didn't feel in the least bit guilty about that. As I'd thought before, she more or less invited me and now in my hour of need, I knew she wouldn't have turned me away. But I was worried about the neighbours. They would've been used to see her coming and going each day. She probably hadn't spoken to them, but they would've noticed things like curtains opening and closing and whether there were lights on or not. It was in my best interest for the neighbours to not know that I was here on my own, and probably better still, if they assumed that Minnie was here on her own. The only way I could do that, was for them not to see me. But I would need to go out to get food – and I needed to get to an bank machine to withdraw some money – if and when the bank had sorted itself out.

I wondered if I could pull it off, pretending I was Minnie. She was about the same height as me – and of a slim build. I went into her bedroom and rooted through her wardrobe. I found some dark elastic waisted sweat pants – and some dark sweaters. She didn't seem to have much, but it was pretty sexless stuff – and I probably could fit into it. But I couldn't match her long grey hair. I'd half to wear a hat or scarf and hope that wasn't too much out of character for her. I spied a raincoat which was just the thing, and there seemed to be a hat that went with it. “She wouldn't have it here if she didn't wear it,” I thought.

In rooting through her room, I'd found a dish with some change in it – making a few pounds in all. “I'll try out my disguise right now, and go out for some food,” I thought. Feeling rather excited about this adventure, I pulled on her trousers and sweater – and buttoned up the coat. I looked in the mirror as I put on the hat (luckily it was raining, so it wouldn't look too ridiculous). I found an umbrella too, so I could always put that up, making a clear view of my face even more unlikely. I took a couple shopping bags with me, and opened the front door – locking it behind myself and pocketing the key. I wasn't going to leave my key under the flower pot. I quickly remembered that I would have to walk like Minnie too, so I made sure I was slightly bent over, and walked as though my knees were playing up and my back hurt. “Not too much now, or you'll be calling attention to yourself,” I thought. I started up Birch Road, and noticed a little road, Birch Crescent, which I suspected led up to Station Road. It was just a track really, and neither people nor vehicles were on it, so I slipped out of the hat and coat and put them in one of the bags. I would be myself when I was in Marple.

The sign asking about sightings of the accident was still up on Station Road. I supposed nobody had paid any attention. Unless you're involved in it, people usually keep out of it. Funny place for an accident, I thought. Nice wide straight road – and the traffic seemed to be going at a very moderate pace, as I waited for the few cars to go by before I crossed.

I decided that the Co-op would probably be my best bet for cheap food – and had mentally made out my list. First of all, I needed milk to go with my tea. This black tea business was pure poison. Then I needed a large loaf. There were still some eggs in the fridge, but the bread in the house had gone mouldy. I think maybe cheese is the best to add to that, hoping my money would run to a nice piece of cheddar. And so it did – with a few pence to spare. I packed the groceries into my spare grocery bag, and left the shop. Since I had time to kill, I decided to have a little tour of the town. I needed to find the NatWest bank so I knew where to go to draw out money on Monday.

No problem locating it – right on the corner of the main road by the traffic lights. There was little else in the town to interest me, so retracing my steps, I went back down the little lane, stopping by a hedge to put on my hat and coat before I stepped back out onto Birch Road. And a minute or two later, I was back in my house – not Minnie's house any more, my house now. I wondered again for just a moment where she was, but no doubt the mystery would solve itself in time.