Achoo. Bill sneezed as he dashed for the telephone. Ring Ring. Ring Ring. It was Betty. Her voice moaned and groaned. She was due to visit for tea however was unwell too and was snuggled up warm at home.
Saddened, Bill returned to the sofa and sat with a thump. The spring in his step had gone and was replaced with a slow shuffle.
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. Before he knew it, the sizzling sun was starting to set. His stomach grumbled. Time to eat. Snap crackle pop? No, something more nutritional was in order.
Bill rustled though the pantry. It was empty as usual. As the cuckoo clock sung out it's dazzling tune, Bill headed out the door to the shops.
Swish went the wipers on his car as he cleared the debris from the previous night's thunderous rain. The jingle jangle of his keys as his car drove over the bumpy potholes resembled an old tune he had long forgotten. It made him hum. It gave him a twinkle in his eye.
The shopping centre came into view. The trolley Bill chose was as bumpy and clanky as always. Grrr, will they ever get it right, he murmured to himself. As he strode down the aisles, Bill scratched his head trying to remember what he was there for.
Achoo. There was that sneeze again. The continuous weather change was not in Bill's favour. Crash! Bill bumped his clanky trolley into a stand of tomato soup cans. With a rumble and a smash, they went zig zag all over the shop floor. The buzzing chatter of the other shoppers grew louder. All eyes were upon him. Bill tried to hide his head in shame.
As he turned into the next aisle with a whiz, there was Betty, holding hands with Sam the butcher. Bill's heart thumped. Wasn't Betty sick? The flutter that he once felt when they made eye contact was gone.....