2021 – Edinburgh
Katherine cannot find Janet.
Katherine has been to Janet’s street several times. Pressed hard down on the buzzer, a tissue between her finger and the brass, with no response. Janet has tried the neighbours in the same stairwell. The neighbours, all seven of them, refuse to speak to her, refuse to let her enter to push a note through the letterbox, and all seven end the intercom conversations with a breathless ‘no’ before Janet can even explain.
Katherine has called the police and the police tell Janet they have more important priorities that a woman who has lost a cloud and isn’t even a relative and by the way don’t break any covid regulations dear in this hunt of yours you’ll stay at home if you know what’s good for you and have you tried mental health services (for yourself not your imaginary friend).
Katherine has called the hospitals and has been lectured on privacy and confidentiality and interrogated over her mask wearing habits and her personal hand sanitation.
Katherine has called the courts and has been put on hold for hours at at a time as someone, generally a woman called Marjory, disappears to ask a superior and never returns.
Katherine has called the prison, Cornton Vale, and been met with a surprised scoff and a read out response on confidentiality and the prisoners’ charter.
Katherine has called the airlines and has been given three options only: press one for rebookings, press two for refunds, press three for traveling with pets.
Katherine has sent a press release to the local Edinburgh paper and asked them to run the story. Katherine has never heard back. Katherine has noted that the local Edinburgh paper is more interested in stolen puff puff dogs than actual people.
Katherine has lost Janet and Janet has lost her cloud and Katherine needs to be a lot more cunning.
To be continued.
SANDERLINGS 