My friend, Nancy and I had a plan to walk from St. Cross to Winchester for lunch yesterday. As it happened, it was cold and windy and threatening rain so we went into the local, The Bell, which is next door to the almshouses.
John was behind the bar and also served us with our main course. When it came to looking at puddings, he brought us the chalkboard but explained that the chef had gone to the bank and that he himself would not be able to prepare some of the puddings on offer. He also thought that the fruit crumble was not yet made. It being Monday, there was hardly anybody else in the pub.
Nancy and I both decided on salted caramel chocolate tart with ice-cream. Fine. Then the bad news: only one portion left. So Nancy generously chose sticky toffee pudding. The good news: the chef returned from the bank and was able to organise the puddings.
Then I thought it time to ask John for a portrait for my project and he readily agreed. I asked how long he'd worked at the pub and he said it was only his sixth shift in this job as he had just returned from travelling in South America. The mystery of pudding preparation was suddenly clear.
John is a rugby player in the 1st team for Winchester Rugby Club, also likes running and is interested in politics. I asked him about the referendum and he intends voting to stay in as he feels exiting the EU would only favour big business.
So, a pleasant couple of hours spent in the pub and the start of the second half of my strangers' project.
Always more to these young people in bars & restaurants than meets the eye! I love the sound of your pudding, I would have picked that too! Interesting to hear how he means to vote, I expect most younger people will vote to remain...I'm the opposite!
When John started telling me about his travels I said to him exactly your comment about "more to etc...."!
Your no. 51 setting bears a very similar setup to my no. 25 (not yet posted!!!)
Hey, Julie, well done - I had not even noticed that bit of selfie!!!!!