Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 3 degrees, fresh and sunny in the morning but cold in the afternoon and evening.
It’s a beautiful, sunny, and fresh day. Exercise early, write in my journal early, and be ready to go out.
When I’m in Brazil, I often say that I’m going to talk to the natives, or I will be with the natives, or to have a drink with the natives. I don’t say it pejoratively; I’m just joking, and it is with affection. There is nothing I enjoy more than visiting a place I don’t usually frequent and chatting with the locals, especially when I’m on holiday or visiting for the weekend.
When I went to Terasopolis, the mountainous region outside Rio, with Katia for carnival, we stayed with her friends. I hadn’t known the people before, but it turned out to be a very special carnival where we formed long-lasting friendships.
I might consider buying land there in the future to stay close to them and have a house in the middle of nowhere, on a hill, a cosy but small house with a couple of dogs, surrounded by tall eucalyptus trees that sway in the wind.
This has happened on many occasions, where I have become very good friends with people, such as those I am temporarily visiting or friends of a friend, or the girlfriend, etc. I have this facility to talk to people, and they find it easy to talk to me.
Another ex-girlfriend, who was into motorbikes, and we attended many motorbike meetings, barbecues, and even clubs that wanted me to become a member after only a couple of months, which usually takes years to be even considered.
Why am I mentioning this?
Since returning to visit my mother in Wordsley, I have made some friends who have warmly welcomed me, which is very nice. For example, the owner of the simple cafe on the High Street, whom I am helping by giving suggestions to get his business on track. There’s Dan, whose mother owns The Queens Head pub, and he, who has both physical and, I believe, mental disabilities, but he is funny and charismatic.
Jim, who owns the second and more sophisticated café on the green, with whom I have also shared some ideas about the café, but he doesn’t need them because he’s always busy. He’s Scottish, a very kind man, and very well-prepared. Every time we talk, I feel I’m speaking with someone of a higher intellectual level; it’s gratifying.
And the girls who work in the café, especially the blonde, I find absorbing; she’s hot, but I now know she’s currently going through a divorce, and since all divorces are complicated, it’s better to keep my distance.
And there is Diane, a woman my age, who is the typical down-to-earth Black Country woman. Besides working at the café, she has to look after her elderly mother, which is probably not very easy.
Another reason I am mentioning all of this is to justify this morning. I went to the green, the shopping precinct in the middle of the village, to have a coffee before heading to the neighbouring village to do some shopping.
As I have already said, the day is beautiful, with the sun’s rays, a blue sky, and a few clouds. I’m not sure if it was linked to posting a photo on Instagram the day before, because when I arrived at the cafe, it was completely packed, with faces almost literally pressed against the windows, as if on a crowded bus or metro.
Instead of waiting for a table, I ordered and paid for a small cappuccino and went outside to sit, as the temperature was bearable. If it had been two weeks earlier, it wouldn’t have been, but we are heading towards spring, or so it seems.
So I went outside, and then another man sat at a table two tables down and started talking to me. Patrick, an Irish retired gentleman with a strong accent and a military background, began telling me about his military exploits in Belize, and that, unfortunately, he now has Parkinson’s.
Then a dog owner arrived with his enormous yet playful Rottweiler, and he and the owner started talking to us as well. Next, a woman with a dog that looked more like a fox than a dog came over, followed by an elderly lady with an enormous, beautiful and impressive greyhound called Ziggy. We were all chatting as if I had been a local for many years.
How good is that!!!
Once again, I am talking with the locals, the natives, engaging with them, and it feels terrific. I believe we stayed there for nearly half an hour, discussing dogs and other topics. It was a truly pleasant, enriching, and enjoyable experience to be with such lovely, open, and interesting people.
If you haven’t tried it before, give it a go: genuinely go out and chat with the locals, the natives. You’ll enjoy it! There are always kind and interesting people to meet and learn from!!!
I later walked to the neighbouring village, again talking to the locals, the natives in the butcher’s shop who already knew and recognised me. I had lunch at the main pub in the village and came home. What a simple but nice day out, meeting people, talking to the natives, having a drink, eating and listening to music whilst walking.
What more would I want? Maybe sex, but that would be too much!
In the evening, I watched a film with my mother and went to bed at midnight.
In bed by midnight.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.
Richard
