The regular whose Medicare forms I helped with asked whether I had finished the railroad book I mentioned. I had forgotten mentioning it. He remembered the subject and asked a specific question, not merely whether it was good. I was pleased, although I answered more formally than necessary. We talked after my shift, away from the counter. He told a story about a train journey and did not appear concerned when I could not identify the station from his description. There was no request at the end of the conversation. I have thought about that several times since. It was a good hour, not just an acceptable one.

The wind was stronger along the lake than it had been outside my building. I kept my hands in my pockets for the first part of the walk. After a mile I was warm enough to take them out, and the stiffness from standing at the counter was less noticeable. I stopped at a bench on the return route. There was no screen to focus on and my eyes felt better. I had brought water and drank most of it before continuing. At home I ate sitting down because the kitchen counter was covered with papers. The chair was comfortable. I remained there after the meal instead of immediately putting the plate away.

I am comparing two maps that show different names for the same stretch of track. My first assumption was that one caption was wrong. The publication dates are several years apart, however, and the ownership may have changed between them. I need the contemporary timetable before I correct my notes. This is a small detail in a section of my thesis that almost nobody has read. I still want to settle it. I have written the question on a separate sheet so that I do not spend another evening searching without a clear purpose. The sheet is now inside the older map. That is where I will begin next time.