The Grant Museum of Zoology says. “Engage with rare and beautiful specimens.” Very dead specimens. The live specimens are becoming rarer by the day. What does it mean to engage?

The next morning I find I can’t face going in to the conference. As we sit on high stools at the kitchen table with our tea and toast, Sheila’s cat bats it’s food ball around underneath us.

We chat about Sheila’s work as an activist filmmaker, the walk, the future, and occasionally, I burst into tears. When I go to the loo I realise my period has started. “Ah, at least that explains the crying.” I think with relief.

I make it to the conference for the afternoon discussion groups and leave with a feeling that I’ve stuffed my brain full of new people and new ideas like nuts in a chipmunk’s pouches. I will have to carry them with me and take them out individually to eat later. (The ideas, not the people. This is not a horror novel. Giant Killer Chipmunk.)

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