Years ago when I was a ‘teenager’ we lived in a small village in Nottinghamshire. My father was stationed at the nearby airforce camp so I wasn’t classed as a local but via the school bus, church and youth club I did get to know some of the youngsters. Saturday was the day (because nobody went out on school nights except to the youth club on Wednesday evening) I’d meet some of them in a cafe on the High Street. Not a greasy spoon type but not posh either. It’s one deciding factor as a meeting place where my generation was concerned was that it had a juke box
Just down the road from where I live now there is a nice little coffee shop. It’s a lovely place to meet with friends – there’s an assortment of seating indoors and also out in the garden. Inside you’ll find little round bistro type tables and chairs, comfy couches with low tables for intimate chats while enjoying your food and drink also wooden benches and solid tables that cater for ‘groups’ as well as along one wall there are upholstered benches with tables that suit some of the larger sized ladies because they can ‘spread out’. And because it’s at Montrose, set in the foothills of The Dandenongs there is a wood burning heater that feels so good and welcoming when it’s cold and chilly outside in the winter (or even in a spring and early summer like the one we just had where it was still feeling like winter)
Now as well as coffees and teas of all shapes and sizes catering for all needs and wants they have snacky type goods (cakes pastries sandwiches) – things you can enjoy with those teas and coffees BUT their claim to fame are the handmade chocolates the little company has specialised in for years. In fact they describe their coffees shops as ‘cafe style chocolate shops’ And along with your order you are offered one of their – ooh yummy – delights.
So as I said it’s a great place to meet up with friends – not so much for ladies who lunch but those who enjoy good company along with a few laughs. Manners are adhered to – small sips from the cup, small nibbles taken of food and especially no elbows on the table
Some days we have company – more than can sit at our little table so they have to spread out onto one of the large wooden ones. Yes, we let some of the old fellas come along – they enjoy their own company, happy and relaxed talking of shared times gone by! Usually about ‘when we were young lads’ – mainly all things air force with flying thingies thrown in for good measure. They don’t always stay in the past, sometimes up to date topics arise. Things like aches, pains, pensions – even why the weather was so temperamental. Not sure about the manners part – look at all that slouching and elbows on the table. Some mothers would not be happy if they saw that LOL
One of my friends mentioned how there seemed to be an ‘us and them’ look that day – her mother would not have been happy at us (ladies) being excluded……as it wasn’t like that in her day. She wouldn’t have understood that we weren’t ’excluded’ we had sat apart by choice. It gave us all a chance to chat about similar interests
I’ve always felt that no matter what age (or gender) we are, the ability to meet and freely communicate with other like company shouldn’t be denied because of convention.
How about you – sit together or mingle?
What are you musing about on this Monday?
Still Waters 
