Skip to main content

All I want is a cup of tea

Having spent a very enjoyable 5 days in the rain in Symonds Yat, we faced what ended up as being a very long drive home.  Driving, or crawling, through torrential rain, the journey seemed to be interminable.  After 3 hours at the wheel I declared my need to stop for a cuppa so we pulled in at a service station.   There was a Starbucks in one building so we pulled up our hoods and hurried in.  I wanted Green tea or any herbal tea, even an Earl Grey would be good but I couldn't see tea on the board.  A young lad was stacking the shelf full of biscuits so I asked him if they had tea.  'Oh yes,' he said, so I queued patiently.  After 10 minutes I reached the front of the queue.  'We only sell coffee, not tea, or we have coca cola.'  I left my family drinking their coffee and wandered out in the rain to see what other delights I could find.  Spotting another building I ventured in.   Two more Starbucks and no tea.  You have to be kidding!  Tea is the British national drink and although I don't like bog standard tea, I am outraged that they don't sell it, let alone green tea.

I went back to the car and waited for the others to finish.  An hour later we found another service station on the A34.  It used to be a Little Chef serving eggs and bacon, salad, toasted tea cakes and scones.  Now it is a Starbucks selling coffee, small packets of biscuits and even smaller packets of crisps - and no tea! The floor  was filthy, as were the tables and even the chairs.   I wandered disconsolately back to the car.  After nearly five hours of driving I pulled wearily into yet another service station.  My heart sank when I saw the familiar sign of Starbucks.  I couldn't find the will to get out of the car so I sent my son in to ask the question.

A few minutes later he ran out, shouting in a booming voice, much to the alarm of some and amusement of other travellers, 'they have herbal tea!'

I was due a cheque which didn't arrive so following the instructions for reporting a lost cheque I completed my name, address, account number and, oh dear they want the cheque number.  You cannot proceed without the cheque number it said.  Well if I had that I wouldn't be reporting it would I?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Temper, Temper

I played tennis with Yvette today.  Yesterday I asked if we could play early before the day gets too hot.  She suggested 9.30am.  I was thinking of 8.00am but Yvette has been married 46 years and her husband still brings her breakfast in bed every morning so 9.30 is probably the crack of dawn. I thought I had got used to Yvette's little antics but this morning she behaved like John McEnroe.  I was 4-1 up in the first set when suddenly she announced that the score was 4-3.  I am used to these little tricks so I stood my ground.  She argued, she shouted.  I ignored her and took my position ready to receive serve but her shouting got louder, calling me a cheat and then using some choice words.  Her ploy worked.  I lost concentration and started to lose, eventually losing in a tie break.  I was not happy but said nothing. At the end of the set Yvette asked me if I was angry with her, using the expression 'tu me fais la tete?'  I sa...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is normal?

The UK seems to be operating on the basis that there is no virus.  Masks are rarely seen, little is being reported in the papers,  it is not the main topic of conversation in the street and social distancing doesn't exist.  I did see a testing table set up in Chesham high street but it was for one day only and they didn't seem to be doing much business. I went to Brighton on Sunday with my son and sister.  The old 'Lanes' have been reduced to a few jewellery shops and lots of cafes and the town was packed.  Openly gay people walk hand in hand through the streets in great numbers while others stroll around in gold lurex dresses. As we were heading back to the station the police arrived and blocked the road for an approaching cycle rally.   Living in France I have seen many cycle races go past but not quite like this one.  Here were 200 totally naked cyclists pedalling by while people cheered them on enthusiastically.  Some of them had put on s...
Post a Comment
Read more

The problem with language teaching

I volunteered in a French school yesterday.  The aim of the day was to engage French children in English conversation.  The children had questions written down which they had to ask in English.  They were aged between 12 and 16.  Faced with 2 pupils aged 15 I answered the first question clearly and simply but they didn't understand the answer.  A rapid conversation in French passed between them and they then asked me in French if I would write down the answer. 'If I write down the answer you won't learn anything,' I said in French.  They asked the teacher what to do. 'Of course you can write down the answers for them and they can study them  later'! Listening skills?  Speaking skills?  I give up
Post a Comment
Read more