We sang as we walked and when we could remember no more songs, the Doc sang folk songs from his own country, in his own tongue. Everyone wanted to be the person walking next to him. We were such a merry group that people waved to us from their passing cars. It was a sunny day and it was nice to reach the woods, where there was shade. Leaves were just beginning to sprout and were, as he said, at their most tasty. The boys were running and scampering around, climbing trees and one boy peed from a height, but the Doc just ignored it. He looked a bit funny in a long black smock, with his white beard and his white hair tied up in a topknot. Lena Lally asked him if he was married and he just smiled and said that perhaps she had a wife in mind for him. He had brought illustrated books with pictures of trees in them and another with pictures of mushrooms and in his chip basket there were two knives, a secateurs and a trowel.Then it was time to pick some leaves. We were allowed to eat them or put them in the basket for a salad.
