April 2023 by David Dobson
Having just completed my shop at the nearby Sainsbury's Local, I wheeled my backpack stuffed with groceries including 2 bottles of wine and therefore very heavy and placed in my ? to the nearest bus stop, which happened to be outside this Sue Ryder charity shop. Now I love a charity shop, me. I mean, who doesn't? And I had a specific item in mind: a small saucepan because the Airbnb I was staying at in Rumney was deficient in pots and pans. I asked the woman running the shop if she had one and she said no and kept apologising. I said, "Why are you apologising? You haven't done anything wrong." "Sorry," she said. "Winston Churchill," I continued, "before he went into Poland to kick the Germans out, was reported to have said 'Never apologize, never explain.'" She laughed and we got talking and fell in love and got married 4 days later. But the story doesn't end there. Oh no. Before leaving the shop I spotted a large picture of New York. I had to have it. Only £3.00! And as we, not yet a married couple and therefore still on speaking terms, shared our experiences of NY while she wrapped the picture in 2 plastic bags before placing it in my ? because it was still raining outside, a new customer came in and helped me put on my ? and commented on its weight. As I left, my bride to be called out, "Come again.' "I will," I said, waving enigmatically. Two days later my landlady, with whom I really am falling in love, but it'll never happen because we're over 40 years apart, came up to my room after we'd argued like a married couple and admired my picture. End of story. Great shop, by the way. I will be going again.
