Mr Anderson was not seen between Tuesday morning and Friday afternoon.
His van remained outside throughout. The kitchen light was on Wednesday evening and off on Thursday, which was noted by two separate households and discussed at the pier.
The escalation
On Thursday, two people walked past slowly. This is the recognised first stage and carries no obligation.
On Friday morning Mrs Baird knocked, which in this village is a considerable step and is not undertaken lightly. There was no answer. She then did the thing nobody enjoys, which is to look at the porch to see whether the post had been lifted.
It had.
“The post was in. That told me he had been at the door since Tuesday, and that is when I stopped worrying and started being annoyed with myself for the earlier part.”
Mrs Baird
Where he was
Mr Anderson had gone to Inverness on Tuesday with his brother-in-law for a part for the pump, had stayed over because of the weather, and had come back on Wednesday night late and gone straight to bed.
He was in the whole time. He had been reading.
Told that people had been concerned, he said he was fine and that there had been no need. Told that Mrs Baird had knocked, he was quiet for a moment and then said that was good of her.
The pump is working.
