Behind the till.

I spend some of the day, about half usually, behind the till. Serving, smiling and saying "yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir".

As it's London I live in, I meet most people from most parts of the world at most times during the day. Nice in many ways, although I get a little "home sick" at times. Yeah, even though I am home. Bizarre.

A lady came to the till this afternoon, she was Asian in appearance and spoke English well. But I could tell from her accent English wasn't her mother tongue.

"Where are you from?" I asked.

"China." She replied.

I immediately sprang into action.

"Ni hao". I said, she looked quite surprised. "Ni hao ma" I asked (How are you?) scanning her items through the till.

"Well." She said in English. "Do you study Chinese?" She asked as I was getting through her purchases.

"Wo shi yingwen laoshi zai haerbin" I replied (I was an English teacher in Harbin).

"Your accent is very good". She complimented me. "How long were you there for?"

"I was there for a year" I answered, feeling the need to speak in English now as she wasn't speaking in Chinese. I finished packing the bags and told her how much she owed.

"How long have you been back?" She asked looking through her purse for the money.

"Over a year now."

"Your accent is very good. My husband is French, but he has great trouble with the accent. He's been studying a long time, but can't manage it".

I felt pleased that I'd kept it in good stead.

She handed me the money and I her change and said goodbye.

Something nice.

I wasn't the only little red robin in the house today.

I'd finished doing stuff on my computer and decided to go downstairs and fix myself some breakfast. I walked toward the kitchen door which had been shut, as I opened it I saw a flit of brown feathers in front of me. My mind registered that it appeared to be within the same room as me. Then I noted a bird just outside the back door. Which I concluded was the bird I just saw flit away.

I stood in the doorway to the kitchen and just watched it outside, then out the corner of my eye I saw movement, as I turned my head I noted a little red robin stood on the inside of my kitchen window!

!

He eye'd me with one eye, cautiously wondering if I posed some kind of threat I imagine. I didn't want to startle him too much, so without much ado, I walked to the back door and opened it. The wee chap had flown and sat on top of the microwave and as he saw me back out of the room he flew and landed on the chair, by the table just in front of me. I'd closed the door and the wee fellow eye'd me once more through the gap and then flew outside.

It was a pleasent encounter for me I have to say. Although, the Robin probably felt a bit intimidated. I would have taken a picture but that would have meant coming upstairs and leaving the poor guy stuck in the kitchen. Which didn't seem that ethical to me.

Bless him.

I hope he comes back to the garden again...