A Curious & Curiouser 2012 Nonsense: Apologies to Lewis Carroll & John Bryom.

I was wandering around the supermarket – in the diary section as it happens (just south of the flavoured yoghurts) - when this complete and utter stranger tapped me on the shoulder and asked me where he could find Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

I pointed to an aisle and said: ‘Try down there, about half way down next to the cooking nuts.’

Then he said what I expected him to say all the time, well, as much of the time as he could spare, as time and tide wait for no man.

Tweedledum and Tweedledee

Agreed to have a battle;

For Tweedledum said Tweedledee

Had spoiled his nice new rattle.

Just then flew down a monstrous crow,

As black as a tar-barrel;

Which frightened both the heroes so,

They quite forgot their quarrel.

I then half smiled nervously, gave a pronounced nod of my head and made sure my mouth was closed tight, as he muttered ‘dolt’ turned sharply on his heels and marched off like a purposefully sergeant major.

Some way down the corridor – near the flavoured milk if you must know – he walked straight into a harassed women’s trolley and sent her small child sitting atop flying into the air.

Luckily, the little fellow landed on a display for marshmallows and I felt smug in the knowledge that a supermarket was indeed a strange place where odd people did curious things.

There ends On Centre Stage’s salute to Alice In Wonderland, but, as Molly used to say, do yourself a favour and catch the Queensland Ballet’s Alice In Wonderland (which incidentally has nothing to with the above flight of fancy)  

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