A cursory inspection of the surrounding area confirmed that this was a solitary footprint. Or was it? I decided to conduct a fingertip search along the alleyway, whilst moving in a slightly south of easterly direction. My problem was that dusk was barely an hour away, and there was no street lighting in that section of the alley. So I had to stop when it became too dark to see. I used a chalk that I carry with me for such occasions to mark the spot where I temporarily abandoned the search. I knew I was onto something and was resolved to resume the search on the following day.
Shortly after dawn next day, my perseverance paid off. I encountered a strange grouping of 6 paw marks in a further section of concrete. The photo below shows these paw marks quite clearly, including the toe of my own left shoe. I was so startled by this unexpected discovery that I dropped my chalk. The white dot that the chalk made in the concrete is also visible in the photo.
Well, I continued my fingertip search on my hands and knees for a further two hours, and halted when I emerged from the alleyway at the point where it met the local High Street. I was quite thirsty, but luckily there was a bountiful supply of water at hand. I chose the last of the four available sources shown in the three photos below.
Of course it isn't easy to get a small quantity of water from such a highly pressurised source, so some water in excess of my immediate needs ran across the pavement and spilled over the edge of the kerb into the High Street gutter. That's when I saw the writing in the concrete kerbstone. You can see the writing in the photo below.
I quite like this final photo, because it proves I didn't waste too much water, and you can see a little more of my left shoe...
:-)
27 comments:
Ah-Hah! CI, weren't you on CSI last week? I think you need dusting for GunShotResidue. Thank heavens you halted your hands&knees investigation when you 'emerged into the High Street'.
One notices that wherever your shoe is, a Crack in the pavement appears... Is Dan lurking thereunder, perhaps in some foul state of fester? (or simply leaking into the road...). And What is in the blue carton purporting to be juice?
I think this requires The Right Shoe and a chat with the dog...
Yes Dolores - I see you have a cracking good eye for cracks. But what really cracks me up is that I can't remember whether the object of the childhood game was to avoid the cracks in the pavements, or not?
It did occur to me that DAN is an anagram for DNA, and AND, and perhaps DAN is inscribed on what is in all reality a Headstone.
Yippee - a sentence containing "and" three times one after the other!
So perhaps you are right, and we should look for what lies beneath...
:-)
One notices, CI, the insistence on South and East - what can this signify?
The cracks must certainly be avoided, so we should lift the flagstone-headstone with the six pawmarks and dig in a south-easterly direction until we find the right shoe. And hopefully, not the dog.
Will all be revealed?
Dolores - I promise that there will be an second episode of this classic detective masterpiece - as soon as I can invent a plot to replace the plot that I lost. I'm always losing the plot nowadays, and I need someone to help identify the pawmarks. Are the pawmarks those of a dog, a cat, or possibly a very small Yeti?. I need to know, (if only on a need to know basis).
Help!
:-)
I am confused...but then, I am easily confused. Are we searching for a dog, or a cat, or Dan, Dan the Water Meter Man? Or is there a clown lurking in the drain that will entice you in if you get too near?
Hello Expat!
If Kathy and I were to fly into Washington DC with a week or two to explore, what would you recommend we do?
:-)
First of all, I would strongly recommend that you don't visit until September, when the weather is a little kinder and the students and kids are back in school. It was 100 degrees Farenehit today with very high humidity. Then you could easily spend a whole week in DC doing all the monuments,the amazing Smithsonian Museum complex(all free). Take a nightime dinner cruise on the Potomac. I'd book a tour to get out of the city, perhaps to the Blue Ridge Mountains and Luray Caverns in Virginia. Maybe consider a 3-day tour to Niagara Falls. Long coach trip (air conditioned though, with a loo), but worth it. Of course, we would need to discuss your options over lunch when you arrive!!
Do check the travel health insurance options very carefully for both of you.UK citizens may have a reciprocal arrangement, but it's still pay in advance if you have a medical emergency of any kind. You can get direct flights from Heathrow to Dulles via Virgin or BA. I prefer Virgin these days. But be aware that Dulles is an hour or so's cab ride to DC. Better if you can fly into Reagan National if you can get a direct flight on another carrier. I would not recommend coming in via Boston or Newark. Such a hassle.
I will e-mail you with more info.
Hello there CI,
Living beings can only survive with a supply of water and Dan has an abundance of it. See if there any empty bottles of whisky lying about.
Is it possible those small prints belong to a canary bird? Maybe you have an alter-ego that you change into. A bit like The Hulk. :-)
... but far more terrifying - Canary On a Pogo Stick. Called Dan.
Don't get Dan angry. You wouldn't like Dan when he's angry.
Oh, cruel Canary. You're not coming here at all, are you? That post was a clue to the mystery.
Hi Expat,
Hope you're OK. I have seen news reports of masssive storms in your area. It's becoming quite a regular occurrence, isn't it?
Yes Expat, we've heard dire things too about eastern USA - are you or any beloveds affected? Hope you're safe
Last two times I tried to post here, I got an immediate notification that my antivrus had blocked an attack on my computer.
Yes, we are all fine. Lots of trees down. lots of people without power (but we were OK). 70 mph winds, heavy rains. It lasted an hour...and I slept through the whole thing!!
Very good to know you're safe, Expat. Take care
"70 mph winds, heavy rains. It lasted an hour...and I slept through the whole thing!!"
Nice one, Expat.
Have you ever seen the disaster movie Airport? One of the passengers sleeps all thru the drama of the flight. That is one way of avoiding the panic.
Glad to hear you're OK.
Hello All - I've just got back from a very long weekend attending a reunion event organised by my school old boys association. Exhausting - and something in the BBQ food must have been a bit "off" because I was quite poorly all day yesterday (sob). But I'm feeling better now :-).
Expat
There was no TV or radio at my reunion - and the area doesn't even receive mobile telephone transmissions. So it was only last night that I saw a TV report on the storms in your part of the world. I'm glad you are OK!! I hope you didn't think me insensitive when I was musing about a trip to Washington! It was genuine musing too, not a clue to any puzzle!
JW and Dolores
At your suggestion I've reconstructed the original crime scene. I've tried hopping about on a pogo stick in a frenzied attempt to become the Incredible Hulk, and I've discovered that it doesn't work in wet cement.
:-)
Be Careful out there on that Pogo Stick, CI! (specially after your debauched weekend)
BUT - what's the solution to the Mystery?
Dolores - this blog is a unique experiment in which the writer (me) experiences the same ABC level (aghast, bewildered, confused) as the reader (you). It is vitally important that our respective ABC levels (yours and mine) are precisely synchronised for this experiment to succeed. In other words, we (you and me) dunno who dunnit yet, and we dunno who dunnwot when they dunnit.
I need help.
:-)
You certainly do, Sir.
I think another dose of Gamma Rays is needed.
:-)
Ah-hah Gamma Rays! So is That a clue too?
AB & exceedingly C here but My Word, it's fun!
Hi Dolores!
What would be an IOW hotel for us?
:-)
Hi CI! Well, the Sumptous GeorgeandDolores Towers is Renowned for its cinnamon porridge and its proximity to the Co-op. So come on down!
(or is This a clue too)?
Now that's an invitation you can't refuse, CI. And if this turns out to be another "musing" than I will be very disapponted in you. Winding people up is not nice.
I guess my idea of a musing isn't.
:-(
Hee hee hoh, CI, you weirdy wordsmith you!
Can't Wait for the Moment of Supreme Sync (yr comment July 3 2.43), although my own B will take some balancing.
The answer must lie in the Left shoe...?
Two hees and one hoh to you too, Dolores!
More will be revealed of the left shoe in due course...
:-)
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