7) Cafe Verde - Fruit cake and a Ukelele

I've been for a haircut this morning, and to my surprise these days there's more thats silver about the Scone Ranger than his horse.  I suppose its part of the circle of life.  I'd had another inkling of this earlier in the week.  Two very nice ladies approached and slipped me  a piece of paper. each  Naturally I had confidently expected telephone numbers.  Instead, all I got were recommendations of the names and addresses of a couple of cafes serving cake. Ah well.

Today I had twenty minutes between my visit to the excellent Brian's and meeting with Miss Victoria.  If I was quick there would be just time for a quick cup of tea and piece of cake.   I slipped into Cafe Verde, in Church Street, Ormskirk.   A cup of tea and a slice of fruit cake please.  It turned out that they have two, a light and a dark one.  Decisions and complexities when I was pressed for time.   The dark one has a stronger taste I was told.  £2.20.  They'd bring it over they said.

Ten minutes later I was back at the counter.  "I've ordered fruit cake a pot of tea."    "We're just waiting for the milk," they said.   Waiting for the milk I thought.  I am in a cafe.  It is next door to a Tesco's.  And they have no milk. Alarm bells started ringing.  I can't be late.

I went back to my seat and looked at my watch again.  I was getting anxious.  I must not be late for Miss Victoria. I was beginning to think that I'd have to abandon the sortee and get my money back  That would have been a first for The Scone Ranger.    I can see how this would not got down too well, a masked man wearing a pair of pistols demanding money from staff at the counter.  No, I had to sit tight, for a bit longer at least.   I watched the window, and I looked at the clock.  More than once.  Time was passing.  Then I saw a girl come in carrying a bottle of milk from Tesco's.  At last.

Before you know it I've a small pot of tea (1.5 cups) and a slice of cake.  Both are OK.  But not great.  The special moment of a man alone with his tea and slice of cake, that moment of nirvana, of being in the zone, does not happen today because of the delay.   Plus someone else has the cafe newspaper.    I have to hurry, I could not be late.  I feel a bit cheated.   I am about to eat and drink up quick in order to meet Miss Victoria when the moment was almost saved.  A man sat down and began to play the ukelele.   We are now about to enter another dimension.   Now there's something special about the uke that can only make you smile.  I don't know whether it's the sweet sound or the connection with George Formby, or something else.  Whatever, its a lovely sound and almost saves the day.  But not quite.

By the way, thanks to Mrs E Clair (I can't help but think that this is not her real name) for pointing out that the first Harry Potter book featured in the Refresh log must have been,
'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Scone.'

Cafe Verde, 1 Church House, Church Street, Ormskirk L39 3AG



All the usual buses and trains go to Ormskirk