Seaside observations Part 1

[Grommit]

It’s a trial these days foistered on to the general public by the food companies who seem to think we cannot have enough choice and by cafe and restaurant owners who think they know best.

In the 1950’s the choices were simple, fish and chips. jug of tea, bread and butter. You don’t fancy that? How about a ham sandwich with a few chips on the side?

For the last 5 days I have been pushing the wheelchair up and down the seafront at Littlehampton. Starting off late morning and selecting a different venue for a pre lunch coffee.

I tried 3 cafes for the coffee before I found one that suited both Jean and I.

The first 2 I tried insisted on giving me the spiel on the types of coffee they had and, as usual, by the time they got to the end I had forgotten what the first 10 types were. I was also quite convinced that the last 24 they described contained no coffee at all and consisted entirely of hot milk with 64 different types of floating things on the top.

But that wasn’t the end by a long chalk. Did we want small, medium, large, extra large or a bathful? Did we want to drink in or take out? did we want a lid on? By this time, nearly expiring from dehydration, it was too late to change the order to a pot of tea but even then I would expect to have had to choose between 38 Indian teas, 12 Chinese and 86 African varieties.

So the next thing is, they make 2 coffees for us but fill the cups, mugs or paper containers to with .00001mm of the brim. How am I supposed to balance two containers, on a tray, work my way round several tables to get to the table where Jean is sitting. Of course the table napkins are under each cup so by the time you get to where you want to be, they are sodden underneath the containers and totally useless as napkins and at least a third of the coffee is either sloshing its way round the tray or watering the front of my trouser legs giving the impression of acute incontinence.

This didn’t happen in the 50’s– the jugs had saucers on top.

So, we have arrived at the cafe thirsty, waited in the queue to order two coffees, gone through the selling ritual and paying etc, eventually getting to your table, only to find, when you take the lid off the container the liquid inside is 2 degrees Centigrade less than the centre of the sun! Another wait for a drink plus frantic cooling to make sure Jean does not burn herself.

On our third visit to the seafront, we called in at small cafe, hidden away in the centre of the town, and there they served coffee in pot mugs, three quarters full and at an immediately drinkable temperature. You could tell the owner was used to the over 50’s as there was no spiel about what type of coffee we wanted, it was only a question of do you want sugar?

Needless to say we visited that cafe 3 times during our stay.

[Rosalind]

go90 very true

[annie]

It's getting more like The USA, ask for a sandwich over there & by the time they have gone through just the types of bread and spreads, before they start on the fillings, you have lost the will to live

[Honey]

go90

[wendy]

I hope you are both having a wonderful holiday

[JaneJ]

I love reading your views on life.

So true on the coffee. Then you have to learn a whole new language on how to order them.

mine currently is a large decaff skinny latte! Try saying that quickly!

sounds like yu both had a nice time. I bet the change of scenario was wonderful

xxx

[wendy]

Derek has agreed to these posts being made public,