The Old Lady's Face

It started to rain as I made my way back from Tescos. I was carrying two shopping bags, so the best I could do was pull my head into my shoulders and keep walking. A tall, elderly lady shuffled towards me. She steadied herself on a large, cloth, beige shopping trolley that she pushed ahead of her. She stooped beneath the umbrella that she awkwardly tried to hold up, but she still had the sturdiness of a formidable, no-nonsense mother. As she got closer, I looked at her face, getting ready for that 'Bah! Rain!'/'Soft day thank god' exchange that's customary for two people stuck in our damp predicament. Her face was caught in a moment of horror, her mouth held stiffly open and her eyes round and staring. I smiled, waiting for the exaggerated proclamation that would match her face, but she didn't make eye contact and she didn't speak. I guess that was just her everyday expression.