New Headlights (A Soft Breeze of Discontent 3)

Two things happened on the way home.

1. I stopped in the village of Negrepelisse - where a woman, originally from the north of France, has set up a roadside sandwich and chip caravan. I ordered chips and she asked if I wanted small or large. I was hungry, it was late so I said ‘Large’; I said please too. It was the biggest portion of chips I have ever seen; I was still eating them as I drove up to the house an hour later. In fact there a few a few left if you would like one.

2. I saw a badger.

I don’t see badgers very often, in fact I can count my lifetime badger spotting occasions on half a hand – this was only the second time.

But I knew it was a badger. I wasn’t sure at first as it crossed the road where my headlights caught it, but as I slowed down and the badger climbed into the forest its striped white snout was incontestable.

It was very sleek, slim and nifty of paw - nothing like the slow chubby fellow that I know from Wind In The Willows.

I, however -after finishing those chips, am.