MOORE MYSTERY

One of the wicked temptations of going to the big city is the W H Smiths on Euston Station if you suddenly find you’ve got half an hour to spare before your train is likely to be boarding. So it was with me this time and I happened upon the latest edition of “The Sky at Night” magazine which was, of course, its “tribute” issue to Sir Patrick Moore.

Whilst I was mulling over whether or not I ought to buy that, given that I had a book in my pocket and that morning’s “Metro” still to read, as well as a colleague who might have been in the mood for an “After-Show” chat, I also noticed the “Special Edition” celebrating his life which was sitting next to it on the magazine racks and so, quite suddenly and unexpectedly, I simply had to, had to, get both, so I picked them up, went over to the counter and paid for them with the last of my cash.

To be fair, I did, at least, resist the other “Special Edition” that was also sitting nearby; Their “Guide to Astronomical Photography” (but I guess there’s still time for me to change my mind about that…)

Anyway, I managed to get onto my train and our seat allocations meant that my colleague was far enough away from me to be able escape my mutterings and musings and try to have a nap, so I opened up my shiny new magazines to have a bit of a read…

Tucked inside the front of my freshly bought “Special Edition” was a hand-written note which was dated nearly two weeks earlier and said:

“Robert, In a moment of madness I bought this from W H Smiths today for you. I am, you may be surprised, watching the Astronomy Series on BBC2 – Absolutely fascinating (Some info way beyond me!) Some learned odd looking bods. Cx”

“That’s odd…” I thought.

Did this mean that my exciting new purchase was actually second-hand?

Had “Robert” or “C” returned it to the W H Smiths for a refund…?

Had W H Smiths managed to sell the thing twice…? (I know that there’s a recession on, but really…)

Then there were other possibilities to consider…

Had “Robert” been so appalled by this mad old gesture that he had returned the magazine to the racks rather than admit to some kind of connection to the thoughtful “C”…?

Had “C” suddenly had a change of heart having decided to buy this token, and thought better of publicly admitting to some kind of affection for “Robert”…?

It seemed odd to me that someone would tuck a note inside such a thing (even if they intended it as a gift) before they actually paid for it, even if they had suddenly found that they didn’t have enough pennies with them when they got to the counter.

Perhaps there are mysterious forces afoot in the lives of “Robert” and “C”…? Perhaps they are having some kind of illicit affair and a strong dose of common sense finally overtook the momentary rush of blood to the head of this rash opportunity to make a public display of their previously strictly private liaisons with all its attendant risks of finally providing hard evidence…?

Or maybe “Robert” doesn’t even know that he is the object of someone else’s affections and “C” suddenly got cold feet…

Maybe “C” just dropped the thing as she was dashing for a train and someone just popped it back onto the racks...?

After all those other ideas, that would be all rather mundane and disappointing, wouldn’t it…?

So many possibilities, so many strange “goings on” in the world of Amateur Astronomy, it almost leaves you giddy at the intrigue and deviousness that could be going on somewhere in the great unknown…

It will, I’m sure, remain a mystery, but it added a few minutes of allowing my imagination to roam free as I made my journey home…