people watching

There is not so much to do in this small southern Portuguese town in the off-season, which has given me licence to indulge in a favourite pastime - doing not very much. I've been sitting with cups of coffee, watching the world wag past and I realised suddenly that families were no longer the focus of my attention.

Instead I have been observing the plethora of middle-aged and elderly couples taking their holiday before schools break up for Easter. Couples my age and older, and I want to run up and ask each and every one of them "do you have children? Did you choose not to have children or have you, too, struggled with infertility? How did you manage to stay together through it all? Was it "your" fault or was it "his" fault? Do you resent each other? Do you have any wise words for me, facing a childless future?"

Luckily, I still have just enough sanity left (and British reserve) to sit still, take another sip of coffee and turn my gaze away.