Potato Day

I met someone while in hospital last year. I guess it's hard not to, confined to bed on a ward full of people.

To be honest, I was more interested in keeping myself to myself, in the hope that I'd manage to get out before I caught whatever the guy in the bed opposite me had. I have no idea what his affliction might have been, but he had the sort of expression that suggested he'd been there far too long and wasn't getting any better.

Thankfully a bed shortage ensured I didn't stay on any one ward for long, as my bed was offered to more deserving people. It was after one of these moves that I met Reg.

I passed much of the hospital boredom by listening in on other peoples visits by family members and on one afternoon, Reg was passing strict instructions to his wife on jobs to be completed, pertaining to fruit and vegetables. After they left, I enquired as to whether it was a veg patch at home or an allotment he tended, after which the seed of friendship was sown.

It was through this passing acquaintance that I learned about Potato Day. Over 80 varieties of seed potato available to buy (by the tuber if required) at the local community centre, for one day only, courtesy of the local allotment association.

With my unhealthy fascination in trying to find the perfect baked potato, such a choice excites me more than you'd know, so January 18th can't come soon enough. I'm not sure how such a local event could have passed me by all these years, so I'm indebted to Reg and I hope he's fighting fit and able to attend himself.