Some wicked force took hold of me on Sunday which possessed me to wake up at 5 am. I don’t mean that I happened to wake up at 5 am. I consciously set out to wake up at 5 am, having only slept 4 hours. I really can’t explain why. Once awake, staring at my ceiling, I asked myself “Well, what now?”. So I went for a walk. Everything is so still at 5 am. Except for the occasional fox which stared at me with mild annoyance, as if to say “It isn’t your time yet, human. This is our time”.

I had only intended to walk around my vicinity, but the morning breeze was so refreshing that I simply had no choice but to extend my walk. Plus, I’m allowed to go further now. So I went into town for the first time since late February. For the first time since the pandemic took hold around here. I walked along the Backs and crossed the Cam, and once on King’s Parade it struck me that rarely do I see the place so absolutely empty. Silent. I wandered around, taking the time to admire all around me. Pubs and restaurants boarded up. Signs and posters advertising events that never happened. A noticeboard was eager to inform me that the University Library would “only open until 5 pm today”, except of course the place hasn’t seen a soul in two months. I kept wandering around, alone, except for the occasional old lady cycling who stared at me with mild annoyance, as if to say “It isn’t your time yet, young man. This is our time”.