I do my best thinking on a bicycle. The senses attuned by the motion of pedalling and the outdoors. But not so much that you can’t mentally attend to something else.
This morning’s subject was Porridge. The 1970s TV show. In particular, the prison officer character played by Brian Wilde. Foggy from Last of the Summer Wine, if that helps.
Anyway. Wilde’s character’s name eluded me. I knew I knew it. I knew I’ve always known it. Just not right now. You try to force it out. ‘Didn’t it begin with an M?’. No.. that was Mackay, the Scottish one. And on it goes.
Eventually you do the smart thing. You give up and think about something else. What shall I get for dinner tonight? Am I taking Mum into Birmingham tomorrow? That kind of thing.
And then, a few miles on… out of nowhere:
BARRACLOUGH… MR BARRACLOUGH!
I don’t lead a sad life… but that will be one of the most satisfying moments of my day.
I love how the mind works. Especially when you give it time to do so.
Andrew Greenhalgh 