August 24. “Button, the family had a good laugh at my expense.”

“Why?”

“I made the mistake of telling them how Pippa strayed and how I gently put her back in the pot as I felt she wouldn’t be able to get back.”

“And?”

“I left her exactly in the spot she was in yesterday only to test if she would find her way back to her pot on her own!”

“And? ”

“When I went back to check on her after an hour or so, she was neatly curled up inside the pot.”

“What are you saying?”

“I was amazed. This meant that the exercise of picking her up and putting her back in the pot was totally futile. Pippa is able to go for a walk all over the place and return home on her own!”

“And why did the family laugh at your expense?”

“They all said that even Pippa has a better sense of direction than me.”

“What’s wrong with your sense of direction?”

“I have no sense of direction. Even after visiting a place for the umpteenth time, left on my own, you can be sure that I’ll lose my way trying to get there!”

“Really?”

(Incidentally, Dost and I are off to London tomorrow. I’ll write to you and will be back before you know it.)