Monday 3 June 2013

First impressions


Britta has picked a great week to visit Bath. The sun is predicted to shine all week. I have only ever met one couple from the web-world world before, and they remain friends - albeit not ones I see that often. We also met in the same pub.

I am a bit nervous about the pub meeting today, though, because the place will probably fill up with all the locals who have spent the entire weekend at a nearby festival, and I am not sure what sort of a first impression they will make on our guest.

Usually, after a festival like Glastonbury finishes, all the old faces (and quite a lot of new ones) straggle into the establishment covered in mud and gurning like lunatics from 72 hours of partying on no sleep, but at least the mud will be minimal in this weather.

It can be quite disconcerting for a stranger who has no reason not to think that this is what the locals look like all the time, especially if that newcomer is more used to chic, Berlin wine-bars.

I was once paid to take an American couple on a tour of the Cotswolds, so that they could look at various styles of stonework for a house they were building back in the States.

When the day was over, they suggested we went for a drink in a traditional British pub, so I took them to the one I will meet Britta at today.

As we sat down with our drinks in a corner, the place began to fill up with casualties from the recently finished Glastonbury festival, and my guests looked around the place with nervous expressions on their faces, sipping on half pints of warm beer.

After a protracted silence, one of them said, "So Tom, do you have a problem with drugs in Bath?"


8 comments:

  1. I see you couldn't resist the June copy of Health and Efficiency.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hope this is not the view that will greet Britta - if so then not sure what impression will be left.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wouldn't mind if they left an impression on my face, Weave.

      I have just left Britta - what a nice person. More about that later.

      Delete
  3. So, is Britta the third from the left?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Tom,
    thank you and H.I. and her daughter for that great day! I can absolutely recommend the pub and its customers - and shall be glad when the Biergärten and Bars in Berlin will make as good an impression on you when you will be my guests. See you!
    Britta X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Safely back South of the Thames? Good. It was lovely to meet you, and H.I. + daughter said the same thing! X

      Delete