Martha and I went to Belfast yesterday. She had a masterclass at the Opera House, taught by Melissa Hamilton, a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet.
I took the train from Cullybackey; Martha boarded at Ballymena. For a moment, I didn’t recognise her. Her hair was pulled tight into a ballet bun, she was wearing contacts, and there was a light touch of makeup. She looked lovely.
I walked her to the front of the Opera House, where she was meeting a friend, and then set off for the shops. I had an hour to spare.
I went to the Seasalt sale, looked at everything, and bought nothing. In the next shop, I did the same- looked and walked away. There was something oddly satisfying about not buying.
For old times’ sake, I stopped by Fresh Garbage. At first glance, it was just the same - cluttered, dimly lit - but everything seemed tawdry, thrown together. The place was full of teenagers. I didn’t stay long and, of course, bought nothing.
For a short while, I sat on a bench in Royal Avenue and listened to a street preacher holding court. He railed against stealing, lying, and fornication—then warned against Muslims, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Rome. Muslim, he said, not Islam. That annoyed me. I felt an urge to walk over and tell him he was a narcissistic prick, but I didn’t feel up to making a scene.
My next stop was Waterstones – as I had a gift card worth ten pounds. I chose two short story collections, one by Kate Atkinson and one by Jan Carson. At last, something worth buying, and I only had to part with £9.98. Time to return to the Opera House.
Martha’s class had fifteen minutes left, so I took a seat in the auditorium to watch. It was a delight to see. Afterward, Miss Hamilton made sure each dancer had a photograph with her before they left the stage, all flushed with happiness. Martha wasn’t so tired that she wasn’t up for a walk to Botanic and she told me everything that she loved about the experience.
At Botanic we made a quick foray into the vintage shops, but unfortunately, coffee was unavailable across the whole of the avenue due to a water supply issue. I had to make do with apple juice but, despite that small setback, it was still a wonderful day.
