BLINDSIMMING LADY
A VISIT TO A MAZE
I have dreamed from time to time of being blindfolded and left to find my way around a maze of some sort.
So, some years ago, Chris came up with a plan to satisfy that particular wish of mine. On the morning of my usual day in his office, he called for me at home, as he did in those days, early in the morning after my spouse had left for his office in London. He blindfolded me and smuggled me out into the back seat of his car and we set - for Hampton Court! The blindfold was my favourite doubled silk scarf, securely knotted. It happened in March since we thought tourists would be minimal and we might have the maze to ourselves or at least avoid any crowds. As the weather was forecast to be rainy, I could wear my old raincoat with the large hood, as I have described before, to disguise the blindfold from curious eyes. An hour and a half driving. We arrived there just on opening time, parked the car and he led me, still blindfolded and now wearing my hood, into the gardens and around to the Maze.
With me on his arm, he had bought tickets for the Maze only. The ticket office person said nothing about me being blindfolded nor did anyone else and at that time there was hardly anyone around, certainly as far as Chris said he could see, in the maze itself. If challenged, he had a story ready about an office initiative test, but never had to use it. Chris had a plan of the maze which I hadn't seen and we set up a code of whistles – the same code that we had used in our use for our early adventures in blindfolded walks.
As instructed then, I set off between what I could feel were iron waist high railings with hedges on both sides, waiting for the first whistle. Chris had a plan of the maze in his hand. We had agreed that he would give three different coded signals' I was on my own. I was to whistle back to him after that so that he could hopefully follow my route. In fact, I could not whistle very loudly but could do a convincing owl-like hoot on clasped hands.
So -Turn Right, which I did when I had located a gap. Again Turn Right, which I did again and then Turn Left and found myself after a while at a dead end. Had he tricked me or had I misunderstood or simply missed the Left Turn?
I was enjoying myself too much to worry and Chris knew anyway that I wouldn't cheat.
After some time came the pre-arranged whistle that someone else was entering the maze. Nothing I could do about that, of course, so I kept going.
Eventually, I realised I had arrived in a more open space and after feelin my way right around and coming back to the one and only entrance, as far as I could tell, realised I was at the centre. It seemed to be a long space but not very wide and nothing to sit on for a rest that I could find.
Then, suddenly, I was no longer alone! A group of females, Chinese perhaps, from what I could hear. They might have spotted my blindfold but I couldn't understand what they were saying and no-one spoke directly to me and, as I was still wearing my hood up, they may not have noticed and went off before I decided to make my return. I had lost touch with Chris and had to try to remember and to reverse my route in, but that was nearly impossible. So I struggled on – enjoyably.
IHowever, after I had groped my way around a few corners returning from the centre of the maze, I stumbled into someone who did speak to me! I had heard the signal from Chris that someone else was entering the maze at least a couple of times more recently, so here was one, a lady who actually spoke to me, asking if I was managing alright? Was I on some sort of intiative test, she asked. I had given a little thought, whilst resting in the centre, as to what I would say if such an occasion arose, so I had an answer.
No, I said, I was simply doing a sort of memory test that I had done before, to go in to the middle and then blindfold myself and see if I could remember exactly the way out. How are you doing then, she asked, to which I replied that I didn't really know until I found myself back at the entrance.
She sounded my age and quite friendly, admitting that she was quite lost and she might therefore follow me if I didn't mind and she didn't upset my concentration. I could only say that she was welcome and I would do my best to help her out – laughingly, of course. But, please, I added, not to tell me if she suddenly saw the route more clearly. It was bluff on my part, of course, but it so happened that I did remember some of the junctions coming in and so, more by luck that judgement, we soon emerged.
I don't know what Chris thought when he saw me with another person, but he tactfully kept clear for the time being.
I hadn't however thought up an answer to her next question, so when she asked if I would like to join her for a coffee, I had to think hard and quickly!
Sorry, I said as I started unknotting my blindfold – reluctantly!, my brother is here somewhere waiting to take me home If I had been braver, of course, it could have been much more interesting to recount to you. But never mind. I had found my way blindfolded into the maze and then out again, even 'guiding someone else out! That was more than enough for that day.
I really enjoyed that and had got that particular desire out of my system.
This is not me, needless to say