Our countryside village has these charming events and one of them, which happens every year, is a Midsummer’s Evening and this year, it was held last Thursday, one day after the Summer Solstice. There were food trucks and folk dancers and face-painting. All the shops were opened late and there was live music (a cover band act). There were also alpacas, four of them, huddled together in a pen, curiously wary of all the commotion. We got gin and tonics and roamed about in the market square and ordered a stone ground pizza from one of the trucks. I stayed close to the alpacas because they were so funny-looking and fluffy and sweet. Do you want to pet him? The alpaca farmer asked me. He had been asking all the small children in their mother’s arms the same thing and the alpacas were wholly indifferent to all of them. Of course!, I said. And I proceeded to gently pet the alpaca who seemed to like it and then, all of a sudden, it turned its face directly into mine and nuzzled my nose! Everyone gave a collective gasp at this sudden show of interest and affection. Yes, I just always seem to have a way with animals. Just call me the alpaca whisperer.