Otherworlds

My son has recently taken up climbing. At first via an after school club but now he’s got a membership at a local climbing centre. This means he can now go scrambling up awkwardly shaped walls on weekends as well as schooldays which means I get to accompany him. Today was my first chance to do this. He went off suitably corona-masked and equipped with a chalk-bag and his new climbing shoes into the depths of the building while I grabbed a coffee and went to find a place to sit. Suitably armed with caffeine I looked into the open area with the climbers and I saw a young man scrambling with ease up what looked like a tricky section of wall. Perhaps one day my own son, when he is a little taller and stronger, will be able to do that, I thought. And then I recognised him behind the mask. My son was already taller and stronger than I realised and it took seeing him unknowingly to realise that. Lovely moment but astonishing too. Seeing someone everyday means the little changes turn invis