In bad company
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Wokingham,
England,
United Kingdom
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Downtown Wokingham is not exactly a hive of activity, particularly after 6:30pm, but it has it's fair share of local pubs. I've been gravitating towards The Redan, on the high street, opposite the local Woolworths store, mainly because it serves a Jacobs Creek chardonnay and it has a beer garden. But today at lunchtime I fell into bad company.
A scantily clad 30-something, who was part of a trio sitting at the bar, struck up a conversation with me as soon as I came in, wanting to know where I got my D&G sunglasses. When I told her I got them in Sydney, she became quite animated, because, whe said, she liked Australians. The barman was flashing me warning glances and I moved over to a table away from the bar. He followed soon after to explain he was on the verge of refusing her a drink because she had had too much.
A little while later the trio moved into the beer garden and suddenly the 30-something, whose name was Leanne, insisted I come out and join them. By this time the barman, who had finished his shift, must have decided if you can't beet them, join them, was showing off an interesting pierce ear 'adornment' - a metal ring through his earlobe big enough to hold a cigarette.
I was introduced to the rest of the gang - Ian, a long-suffering electrician who was waiting to start his graveyard shift at the local power station. He told me a heart-rendering story about his abusive wife who he was convinced would be the death of him. He told me he only stayed with her because of their 10-year old twin daughters. Then there was Jane. Leanne told me she was quite 'spiritual' - it turned out she had just had a visit from the local warlock who wanted to induct her in his pagan community.
By the time I was on my third glass of wine, things started to get a bit out of hand and I thought it was time to call in the cavalry. Roger arrived soon after. Feeling we had all started without him, the two of us ended up leaving to have early dinner at the local curry house.
