Having forgotten to eat properly yesterday I struggled to work out why I was so knackered last night. In the end I worked it out. Therefore, this morning I sauntered off to the café, the one I was going to was shut, I hope this is because of a holiday as they fill me up much better, and at the town's most popular eating place I found a seat in the corner, under the chefs cooking area.
From here I had a good view, ignoring the two people sitting at the next table by the window, a good view of those coming and going and passing by outside.
For me it is unusual to sit people watching. However, I was intrigued by what I was watching. The number of fat young women for instance, not counting the ones carrying a child. The lack of dress sense from almost everyone who passed, not counting those in work wear. The weather indicated light outfits and for the most part this was what was to be seen, but a possibility of rain meant some protection, like my cheap jacket, was noted. But the mixture of styles made me wonder where some folks get their ideas from. Putting aside those faces covered in metal and chains, the fantastic perversion of fashion that appeared was laughable at times. Have some folks no mirrors? What TV shows do they copy? Do they not realise those on TV programmes dress for the show, they do not dress like that at home.
I was in danger of becoming one of the old maids who sat in Jenners café taking the world apart. Yet it surprised me how the town has changed in the near 30 years I have been here. The number of foreign faces has increased vastly. When I came there were one or two black faces, and the owners of Chinese and Indian takeaways only. There are a great many more today. Indian, Arab, Asian of a few varieties, and the Turks who run this excellent café. Allowing for two attempts to burn down the mosque, one man getting 3 years for his attempt, there appears to be little objection to this from most in the town. Certainly many complain the place is dangerous at night, forgetting this was the case when they were young and did not notice this then, but rarely it seems to me are the foreign incomers responsible. Drugs and the usual criminal, drink cause most crime in town. Youths like drugs, I passed a couple who I thought looked like they indulged too much, and thus a 'county line' of young folks get caught up in this. Not all parents care enough to stop them. Late night troubles are usually from pub fights, an not as bad as this was a few years ago. Now pubs close at different hours and do not all empty at once less trouble results.
My biggest irk today was the tables outside the café. Here the diners can smoke, and one woman of many years smoked constantly while yapping with friends and while sitting next to the door. This allowed the smoke to gather within and thus spoiled the eating for me. Funny how we never noticed cigarette smoke in days past. Everyone smoked and nobody noticed we stunk because of it. There was no indication that the pub, restaurant, café, or whatever was a smoke filled danger zone. Now, one whiff and reach for the fire extinguisher!
Anyway, I finished by breakfast, I still feel full now, gathered my rags together, paid my bill, left a tip, and having no guilt re my fashion choice, wandered into a crowded Tesco for milk. This one bottle of milk cost me £19:35. Someone stuck other things in my basket...
