Day 11, and to be fair, this was going to be a very sensible post about real heroes.

Yesterday, there was a smidge of superheroes, but sometimes, amid all the flash and car-chase, we forget about the non-fictional heroes who surround us in daily life.

Anyway, I will get onto the whole ‘Real Heroes’ bit, but first, I must tell you a story Aimée just told me about her day in the shop.

A man came in with three little boys: twins of about four, and an older boy of around eleven. As they were approaching the till, with a basket of shopping, the father told his boys to go off and find themselves a treat each.

The older boy went straight to the confectionary aisle, and selected a packet of super-sour sweeties.

One of the twins ran over to the breakfast area, and picked up a family-sized box of Wheetos.

The other twin was taking his time, and so the older boy picked out a packet of Mr. Kipling cakes just in case.

When the other twin appeared, he had a giant, euphoric smile on his face and in his hands, a pack of three garlic bulbs and a lemon.

Just the cutest thing in the world.

So, okay, real heroes.

I have been fortunate enough to work behind the bar in my local Legion club for the last nine years. In that time, I have got to know plenty of veterans. Veterans, either from war zones or from life.

I have been near-enough adopted by a selection of older chaps, who have either taken me on as ‘daughter’ or ‘granddaughter’, but I fill a space which would not otherwise have been filled. I am the ‘daughter’/‘granddaughter’ with whom they can have a pint. The traditional granddad stories, told on knees for many a year, take a slight detour because of the space I occupy. I get to hear about pranks and the jollies, the drinking games and forfeits. For others, I’m the near-enough sister. Still drinking buddy, but drinking buddy in a bra. It is a special space I live in.

The photo is of Ivor, my near-enough granddad, who took me under his wing during my first Sunday lunchtime shift at the Legion in 2009.

So, there you have it – day 11 – heroes in real life.