Yesterday, a little 3 year old visited a woman I know with unusual hair colour, (you. know who I mean ) and he knew exactly what he wanted.
At her front gate, there is a bell. It is rung when you visit her. It alerts her to the fact that a visitor is approaching, just in case she is having a kindy nap or is out in the backyard checking that there are no drones or balloons overhead.
I find it rather lovely that she thinks that this bell is her alert system. No doubt there are many burglars out there who are thoughtful enough to ring her bell and let her know that it is time to make haste and prepare for the oncoming wave of unexpected visitors.
But such is the neighbourhood in which she lives.
Her visitors are always welcome and those who perhaps may not have been would have quickly been spotted by caring and loving neighbours.
As it transpired, a young 3 year old was the unexpected bellringer and ( sorry Mum ) Redhead awoke. She heard the bell toll and it tolled for her. Not in the sinister sense but in the sense of a little chap she adores popping in to have a check on how things were going " next door. "
He strutted down the walkway. Hands on hips. Looking, searching, monitoring if things had changed since his last inspection. Like a Chinese spy balloon, this young man surveyed the landscape and appeared to nod with approval. No, nothing had changed since his last visit.
Her flag still flew. Her garden was still as it was. No, all was good in his mind.
Redhead greeted him and asked him what he would like to inspect first.
" Cats " he announced and proceeded to her bedroom and found her two manx felines snoozing and contemplating their late afternoon snack or dinner.
The look on his face, I am told, was one of someone ticking off a tick list and he continued on to her cupboards.
Each cupboard was opened. Wide eyes peered in.
Another tick.
Then he moved to the spare bedroom where a great collection of teddy bears reside. Each bear was taken out and carefully inspected. His mesmerised father followed on, fascinated by his forensic examination of a place he had not visited for some weeks..
Another tick in the box as he carefully placed the bears back where they sat, ready for his next inspection. The biggest bear of all, " Big Douggie " seemed to salute him and he seemed to nod gravely as he put another tick in his box.
He moved to the backyard and found the spot that so entranced him as a toddler. The place where the water was. An old rusted baby bath that has been in my family since my girls were babies.
Beside it, was the clothesline. That old fashioned thing where people used to peg their washing on a line with things called pegs and the sheets would swing in the wind and the sun all day and be gathered in and folded and smell as fresh as a spring day or the best night's sleep you have ever had.
He went to her peg basket. Brightly coloured pegs that he handed to her and she diligently popped onto the line, the old fashioned line that no longer exists in so many backyards.
Then he spotted the baby pineapples growing in her garden. He put water on them.
Cat. Pegs. Clotheslines. Teddy Bears. Cupboards.
As he left and, holding his father's hand, he waved goodbye to Redhead, I could not help but wonder:
Where did we lose this delight in the simple things?
The delight of being woken from slumber from a little soul who rang a bell and reminds us that all is not lost when there are children in the world, cats and dogs and friends who can strut up the pathways into our lives and enjoy the simplicity of delight.
The pleasure of a tinkling bell. The softness of a furry friend. The pride of a clean cupboard. The sheer elation of smelling fresh sheets on a bed that have been hung on an old fashioned clothesline and perfumed with the energy of the sun and the kiss of a soft breeze.
As we move on to a more controlled life, I must ask myself this simple question:
For all of our technological advances and gadgets, is there, truly, anything better than a young life exploring the magnificence that is life?
I say, let us celebrate innocence and enjoy simplicity.
And sometimes, we should remember that what is happening right in front of us is often more important than what is playing on centre field.
Governments, please listen. We want you to ring the bell before you enter our homes.
But the problem, I guess, these days, is that too many of us are asleep and don't hear the warning bell.
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