Living not at home

This text was written in May 2021. I had a basic level of Portuguese, but understanding speech was still a big challenge for me. We were living in a small town and most days we would meet the same people in the street. This helped us to form relationships. But as the text explains, it also added to the anxiety.  Leaving the house makes me anxious.  Almost every time I go outside I see someone; in the square, or by the greengrocers, or sitting at the lone table on the pavement by the café. And if I see someone it’s most likely someone I’ve seen before. And if it’s someone who I’ve seen before then we’ll exchange greetings appropriate to the time of day. I can prepare for this; there’s a pattern.  Sometimes the moment closes there, with a nod and a smile (visible despite our face masks); both parties can move on. Other times the moment extends. My interlocutor says something else, perhaps a comment on the day, the sky, the narky dog, a common formula. I’m listening for a wo...