We were walking homeward along the sea wall this morning. It was beautiful, and so sunny that I even had to wear my sunglasses. A lady overtook us as I stopped to photograph the recently damaged breakwater by Red Rock. Strangely enough, considering I just mentioned Red Rock, the lady had hair the matching colour of our red sandstone coast. Then I noticed that the clothes she wore also matched the environment; her jacket was as green as the foliage on the cliffs; her jeans were as blue as the sea and the sky; and her handbag was the colour of the rusty railway lines.

“That lady looks like a part of the environment, ” I announced, quickening my step.

“You want to tell her so, don’t you?” asked Chris, slowing his step and dropping back a little, supposedly in order to draw a handkerchief from his pocket.

“Of course,” I answered, “but you don’t want me to.” I was aware of his little ruse to slow us down.

“She’ll think you’re a loony,” he advised with a resigned shake of his head.

“No she won’t. She’ll like it, you’ll see.” And I walked faster to catch her up.

“Excuse me,” I called.

The lady turned around. She had a nice face.

“Did you know that you match the environment?” I asked.

“No, I didn’t. I suppose I do – but it wasn’t planned. I suppose it’s just as well because I live here,” she said with a big smile and a touch of wit.

“I took your photo from behind.” (A behind from behind, you might say, but I didn’t.) “I hope you don’t mind, I couldn’t resist,” I explained.

“I expect I looked very wide,” she said.

“I didn’t notice – just saw how well you looked against the background of red, green and blue. Would you mind if I put your photo on my blog?” I asked very amicably.

“No, not at all, so long as my face isn’t in it.”

“My husband thought you would think me a loony,” I added turning around (we were already moving on ahead).

“No worse than anyone else,” she answered, bringing a smile to all our faces.

Do you know, I wouldn’t be surprised if the lady wasn’t a politician – perhaps a member of the Green Party?