A Dreamers Dream

Kale a banana and a basket of sweets. Hampstead, London, England.

I debate getting the car out for all of about two seconds before I decide that by the time I've located the keys, unlocked the garage and navigated around the one-way system, Maddie and I could have walked pretty much there and back already. Stowing her suitcase and bag in the front entrance and out of the rain, I grab a jacket, and we make our way through the dark, deserted London streets.

"Ew. You cannot seriously be considering having THAT at this time of night?" Maddie asks me, looking pointedly at the large bag of kale in my hand and wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Ha! No, this is for breakfast, so I can make a smoothie. But you're one to talk about shopping choices! Is there anything other than sugar in that basket?" I question her, rifling through the contents of the metal basket in her hands and spotting nothing but chocolate and sweets.

"Well... erm... no. Not yet anyways! But that's just because I haven't reached the crisps aisle!" she admits, staring up at me from under her long eyelashes with her wide innocent eyes. "Besides, if you're going to make me eat THAT in the morning, then I need to line my stomach tonight." She adds with yet another look of disgust at the defenceless bag of kale.

"It's good for you!" I try and defend my purchase. Generally, I try and eat healthily most of the time, but even more so when I'm on tour, it's practically impossible to find the energy to dance around a stage all night if you're full of chocolate and heavy crap, and honestly? After a while, I stopped even really missing it.

"Seeing as you like it so much, how about I get myself a nice pastry for the morning and leave all the kale just for you?" Maddie teases me, flashing me a quick smile before darting around the corner of the aisle and disappearing from my sight.

We seem to spend an amazingly long time wandering around Tescos, especially considering that the entire shop only consists of about ten small aisles. Still, every time I think we're done, Maddie will suddenly think of something else that she just has to have and skip off in search of it.

By the time we reach the counter, the basket is full to the brim, and I am cradling several bags of crisps, popcorn and pastries that wouldn't fit in it, in my arms.

"Do you need a ba.." The shop assistant's question dies on her lips as I heave our purchases onto the till and I know I've been made.

Given that this shop is around the corner from my house, I come in here fairly often, and most of the staff are used to me popping in now and don't make a fuss about it, but the young woman manning the till tonight looks to be all of about twenty-one, maybe twenty-two, and I'm guessing she's new as I don't recognise her. Not a problem she's had as she's clearly recognised me, despite the beanie hat pulled low on my head and the large jacket that I've got done up practically to my ears.

"Oh my goodness, your.. your.." she stutters, and I smile back at her happily.

"Harry." I supply, as the poor girl looks like she's going to have an aneurysm if she keeps trying to force my name out of her own mouth.

"H-Harry.. oh my god. I mean, I knew you lived around here of course, but I never thought that you'd come in here on my shift... This is, I mean well, it's just... you're amazing." she blurts out in one long drawn out breath.

"Thank you, that's very kind," I say as I help myself to a bag from next to the counter and open it up, ready to pack the shopping into.