It’s been whispered that ghosts of yesterday can mix with the nocturnal spirits of today, as no time bar separates them in the supernatural realms, which is why in the other worldly bar that phantom souls frequent, the late Winston Churchill walked across the spooky floor to join the late Thomas Babington Macaulay for a ghostly drink. “What are you grimacing about Thomas?” he asked lightly, dropping the title of ‘Sir’ which Macaulay would have otherwise insisted be added to his name, but not so for the great Churchill.

 “Ah Winston, how are you, and I do hope you’re enjoying the spirits here!”

 “They clearly mentioned, ‘no presents, only your presence!’ I muttered as my wife came out of our home carrying a huge gift.

 “That’s what they all say,” said the wife wisely, “but you will always see people slipping in an envelope!”

I did see some truth in what she said, because later going through the wedding album of friends, I would notice there were many which did not have my photo, “That’s because you didn’t give a gift!” my wife had said.

As I see more and more youngsters in the country jailed because they dared question, I remember an episode involving my own daughter, who decided to voice her protest. No, it wasn’t about climate change or farmers protests, but something she felt her priest hadn’t handled well. She wrote a polite letter to him disagreeing with him.

 “How dare you!” was his retort.

Which actually mirrored the statement, “Do you know who I am?”

 “Pink pajamas!” I roared as I tore opened the parcel and looked at the pajamas that the online store had sent me, “I ordered brown not pink!”

 “Check whether it’s comfortable!” said the practical wife.

 “But who wears pink pajamas!” I muttered and then slipped into them, “Wow!” I said.

Very often when I send my column to the papers after writing, I never know who it has touched and what the results of my words are, and I think how often we are so impatient to see the results of some effort we are putting ourselves into, maybe some venture or other! We might have to study day and night and wonder whether it is worth it and if we are wasting our time. “If only we could see our future!” we tell ourselves, “To see whether we are investing our efforts well!”