Sheila Charles PERSONALITY PLUS
We were trying out a new cafe.
Everyone else was doing the same,
So there were very few seats available.
Were we going to be sorry we came?
There were no table by the window
Overlooking the sea.
Only one table, which was half occupied.
Not ideal you would have to agree.
However, we sat down, the other two moved.
We were pleased. We ordered our tea.
About five or six minutes later
Another couple sat down.
I could tell from the guy’s accent
That he was from my home town.
He, too, recognised my accent.
“You’re from the NOrth of England,” he said.
I was. I admitted it.
Why were they, I wondered, in En Zed.
Then he told us that he was lecturing
And so travelled all over the place.
At one time he’d studied where I had lived.
It happened to be his home base.
he seemed to have mastered the accent
Or was he imitating ME? Watch this space.
(The waitress had brought me too much milk.
I’d ordered a pot of tea.)
“Would anyone like more milk in the coffee?
There’s too much here for me”
Without hesitating for a second,
The man reached for the jug and said,
“Waste not want not,” then gulped it down,
Laughed, and shook his head.
We joked, we shared, we reminisced.
A thoughtfully enjoyable time.
I’d tell you the names of the couple
But with Stephen and Elspeth NOTHING would rhyme!
Thank goodness we did find somewhere to sit
And didn’t leave straight away
or we’d have missed out on an amazing hour.
One I’ll remember till my dying day.
illustration by ume-nori
