Heidi-hi

Like a saviour rising from the flames of Bavaria, Heidi offered me the opportunity to housesit at her place, and I’ve embraced it. She has two cats, ginger brothers called Tutto and Bene, who are part of the deal. The friend who initially got back to Heidi more quickly than I turned out to have a bad cat hair allergy, so couldn’t stay. This worked out well for me. Bene spent much of the first night investigating me with extended claws as I slept in Heidi’s bed, correctly identifying that I’m not a tall blonde German woman.

Cats. Fundamentally, they are about manipulation with slim to no evidence of genuine affection towards their keeper. Whilst scratching my face at 5.20am, Bene was purring vigorously, which I thought indicated contentment. However it’s probably some degree of manipulation. Everything is with cats. What can be misconstrued as affection is likely to be the pre-cursor to a sharp dig of the talons when I’m reminded I should be opening a sachet of food and not lounging in bed

Mid-afternoon I took my daily constitutional and this time explored a deserted central Cambridge. Here on King’s Parade an ambulance was parked and there was an absolutely pissed up/unstable bloke shouting and glugging from a wine bottle who got into an argument with a bystander accusing him of spitting at the paramedics. It all felt a little dystopian and as the pissed guy ran up the street towards me I was concerned all these careful distancing measures could be undone through unwanted contact by someone who’s lost control. I realised that the breakdown of routine within society will impact some people’s welfare hugely, given how hard it feels to remain positive, even for those of us who have income, food and shelter.

Cambridge Wine Merchants remained open on King’s Parade but I’d suggest if the coronavirus crisis was making you want to drown your sorrows, there would be cheaper places to buy booze.