Because Scotland has a higher latitude does that mean it is closer to the sky? Anyways, you get the picture. Today I fancy a swift jaunt into the picture skew, townlet of Peeballs, sorry Peebles. I think I might have to buy a miners helmet. Mother is working in the rather pricy but eminently cosy cafe Simply Delicious. Perched atop a trinket and card selling shop, pretty much in the centre of the high street, it offers refuge to flush octogenarians, landowning toffs, American tourists in search of the illusive quaint and the odd straight talking, friendly locals. Coffee from Columbia and a scone fi Scotland. Aye, times have changed. Porridge isnt even on the menu. What is most noticeable for me is that everyone is very friendly and polite and I can understand them. After five years of failing to comprehend Greek their voices are like sweet, tinkling notes played on a magic harp. Well, not really. And the Scots really are polite, perhaps too polite. It really is not necessary to say sorry after every other word and on the basis of something that you havent done. For example. We were in the supermarket the other day and there was a chorus of sorries echoing all around us like the whispered chant of an indigenous tribe as people repeatedly apologised for getting in our way. They were not in our way! At first you are puzzled. Im thinking, is this a very polite form of Tourettes? Clearly a tank, or a float with the re-enactment of William Wallace screaming SORRY!!! as he is hung, drawn and quartered could be driven between Angela and I and the person nearest to us. Or thanking you for something that you have not done. Just because I walk past you without bumping into you, you really dont have to thank me for that! Its a thankless task. Still, its a welcome change from rudeness, or at least my perception of what I think is rude. My friend from Hastings visited me on Paxoi. We decided to rent a motorbike. Not an uncommon thing to do. The man we asked owned a motorbike hire shop. His really to my request, which was something along the lines of: Can we hire a motorbike? was to say Why? very loudly.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 10:47:57 +0000