43.
Fallen leaves that are mushy underfoot instead of crunchy.
Reaching the bottom of a bowl of popcorn to find a glut of unpopped kernels. So much unfulfilled potential.
Coathangers and the tanglesome way they live.
The cat missing the litter tray, a small smile on her lips as she walks away.
The inner conflict of drinking red wine. You love its robust flavor but your body pulses with the possibility of a migraine. Is the pleasure/pain ratio worth it? At what point should you take the tablet? And when you have, can you carry on drinking red wine?
Arriving poolside in your swimming costume only to find that diving is not allowed. You consider this to be the National Scandal that no-one is talking about.
A favourite vinyl record that jumps or CD that glitches (although strangely you find it satisfying to anticipate the jump or glitch… and then it happens).
Leaving the opticians crying luminous yellow tears (but no glaucoma for another year does give you a skip in your step).
Turning on the radio to hear the last few bars of ELO’s Mr Blue Sky. Musical joy has been rhapsodic on the airwaves and you didn’t even know it.
A stapler that doesn’t staple even though it’s full of staples.
Thinking you are an easy-going person so a list of vexing things would be short, only to find you are easily vexed and your list is long.
Sally Gander 