Where did she find me?

I have just witnessed the owner of a badly-parked car coming back to find a warden sticking a ticket on it. The warden was Eastern European as are many here now. 

A few years ago, a heated and fruitless argument would probably have ensued, but in this case the warden apologised and explained that he did not want to give the ticket, but had to since the car was parked right on yellow lines and could not be ignored. There were more apologies which included a consoling pat on the shoulder and even a friendly wave when the man drove off.

This would would not have happened with a British traffic warden of a few years ago, when they maintained a defensive and aggressive stance throughout the whole business and were even compelled to wear body cameras to use as evidence if things got really nasty.

Bath taxi drivers used to be vile too, but they have all been replaced with younger Eastern Europeans who are as polite and considerate as most London cabbies. It is the same with restaurant staff. The Eastern Europeans who have remained after we left Europe are all (maybe mostly) delightful people and when they hope that you enjoy your evening, they really mean it.

Our favourite restaurant here is one of the Côte small chain. We like everything about it - the food, the staff, the prices and the location. The girl who used to manage it was Eastern European (I forget which country) and she was a really lovely woman. We would visit more often just to be served by her. I think she was either relocated or decided that going home was a better option after Brexit. She did say that she no longer felt welcome in the U.K. Very sad.

Since the pandemic, food seems to have become more important to me. It has always been important, but now I find myself planning the next meal shortly after the last one is over. Maybe it is an age/insecurity thing. 

H.I.'s older sister - now deceased - would begin cooking breakfast for her husband and middle-age son quite early, then as soon as the washing-up was done she would start preparing lunch. After lunch, the planning of dinner (or supper - or maybe 'tea' - it was Yorkshire) would begin, and so it would roll on, day after day. The men would sit around waiting to be fed.

On one visit I stood up and shocked her by doing the washing-up. "Where did you find him?!", she asked H.I.