In which it takes an hour to make a five minute journey

You can't just walk from one place to another in Hay. It's impossible. Sometimes you just have to stop and talk.
So I was going from Backfold to home, on market day. First we had to stop at the plant stall, because Islay always gets a biscuit there, and a bit of feta cheese from the Greek chap on the stall next door.
While I was talking to them, Ann Brichto came by, in imitation of a small whirlwind, and asked me about the Timbuktu newsletter which was just about to come out, and told me a bit about the twinning ceremony next Thursday. "We'd like you to stand on one side of the stage and look interesting," she said. "Rob is coming as a Welsh warrior - I don't know what he's going to look like - probably not dressed in much but a bit of woad! - and Haydn's being the Green Man."
No sooner had she gone, than Sue Newall from the Bear passed by. "You do know about the fireworks next week, don't you?" she asked. "Only, if you want to bring Islay...."
I assured her that Islay would be left safely at home. She's never been the same around fireworks since she panicked during the millennium firwork display, jumped into my arms, attempted to wriggle over my shoulder, and then dragged me all the way home at a gallop. She's not as bad as Brock, who needs to be given tranquilisers, but she's not happy.
Eventually, I managed to get away from the market square, and I went round by the Library. Richie was sitting on the bench there with his new lady, Jackie. "Ah, the very person I wanted to see - what are you wearing on Thursday?"
"I'm going to be Matilda de Breos," I said. Red medieval dress, orange velvet cloak, wimple...."
"Good," he said, "I'm trying to balance the colours across the stage." (He's in charge of the lighting).
He introduced me to Jackie, and as we were talking, Brian came by. By the time we parted, we'd been through atomic tests in the Pacific, the ignorance of young people about the Second World War ("Japan? I thought it was just England and Germany."), Vietnam, Kentucky coal miners, and much more.
I looked at the clock when I got through the front door. It was just over an hour since I left Backfold.