you never know

You never know when you are in an English or Irish eating place.
You never know what to do.
Sitting down and waiting until being served.
Queuing up at the counter and ordering. If you do so, it might happen that you are being told just to sit down, relax and wait.
So next time when you sit down, relax and wait, after half an hour when nothing has happened, you realize that you need to order at the counter. You go there, wait orderly in the queue, tell the young lady who hast just started her holiday job yesterday and is – to put it nicely - a little slow, what you want and are being told just to sit down, relax and wait. She will bring your coffee to your place.
At Scotts in Caroline Street, you need to order at the counter, wait for your coffee and carrry it to your seat.
Bernard, who lives in Midleton, had called and told me to come down to Cork. The weather was so lovely and we would go hillwalking on Sunday.
So I had arrived in Cork earlier than planned and spent Saturday morning wandering around, shopping, taking photos.
I was tired and needed a coffee. I like Scotts of Caroline Street.
Nice atmosphere, nice food. The coffee is okay.
It is not excellent, but okay. It is not easy to find coffee that is okay in English-speaking countries.
The restaurant was busy. There was no table free. So I asked this gentleman if the seat was available. Outside. In the shade.
It was, lucky me. I put down a book and a map of Ireland on the chair and went to order coffee at the counter.
There was no queue and I was being served instantly. I went out with my cup of coffee.
The gentleman was still there. But there was no book and no map either.
Excuse me, did you take my stuff, I asked him?
No, I did not.
Did someone else take it? I put it here on the chair.
No. He looked irritated.
Who would take a book and a map? I asked.
No idea, I have not got it.
He looked a little angry.
And started writing in his Whateversortofwritingbookitwas.
On the table in front of him there was a pile of books, notes, writing pads.
This is impossible, I said.
Must be there, somewhere.
And I started investigating this pile of his.
He did not like it.
I could see it.
He stared at me angrily.
Hm. It was just so strange.
Excuse me, a voice said from the other side.
I looked up.
There sat this gentleman waving with my book and the map of Ireland.
Is that yours? He was laughing.
Sorry, I said to the man with the pile.
Oh my god.
Wrong table.
The gentleman with my book and map was still laughing.
Thank you, I said. This is so embarassing.
Don’t worry, he said.
You made my day. He was still laughing.
I secretly looked at the other table. The man still looked angry.
Things like that happen to me.
Now and then.
I mean, I am quite organized, mostly.
Other people just do not realize it.
JMH, my photos may be spunky. Thank you.
I may be crazy.
Or mad.