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Page 3 of 4
Chapter 3: An unexpected sofa offers some respite from shocking news
Dunedin is a bustling city located on a fine peninsula in Otago, the most Scottish of the original four provinces of this fair country. In recognition of this weighty historical role I kept a respectful silence as Wintersbell and I passed through the Octagon on route to the main shopping area of the inner city. I had arranged a rendezvous with Mother at 3pm sharp in an establishment that married the selling of books with the posting of letters. This I believe was a happy relationship, which brought much happiness and convenience to the lives of the shopping public.
Choosing a meeting place can be fraught with difficulty, one must take in to account many factors, including weather, and the known punctuality of the person being met before choosing a location. Weighing up these considerations I had selected the aforementioned bookstore, located in a Mall of many shops.
The passage of time was agreeably slow as Wintersbell and I walked slowly down George Street, we took time to visit shops of interest to ourselves and I was able to make a purchase for a loved one. I had some business to attend to, and while a gentleman should not disclose matters financial I feel that the paying of rent is of sufficient import to publish here today.
A quiet air of satisfaction permeated my spirit as we approached the Mall, lunch had been pleasant, the knife safe in my pocket, an unexpected gift purchased and now a leisurely stroll through a Mall. Music has been rightly described as being one of the Five Virtues of Man, the dulcet tones of the lute sooth the most angry of brows it is said. The giving of Music to a friend or family member therefore is a distinct pleasure, one that I seek to enjoy at the least opportunity, the enjoyment of which directed my wandering feet to a nearby music store.
Echo Music is a well-established Dunedin music retailing business, I have on many occasions enjoyed their wares as, I would wager, have many of the readers. It gained its reputation from stocking a wide range of musical genres, competitive pricing, educated staff and local ownership, a welcome change from the soulless chain stores that seek to dominate the industry. It was therefore a great shock to me to find out from the staff that the store had been purchased by an unnamed New Zealand chain. I had by this stage agreed to purchase an item and it seemed churlish to withdraw from the transaction, I will of course shop elsewhere in future.
This grim news needed time to digest so Wintersbell and I found some comfortable sofas placed in the Mall from which we could gather our thoughts in some comfort. Readers will note that these seating arrangements replace the more proletarian fare once on offer, these being hard benches. Progress is indeed a wonderful thing.
After some time reclining on the provided seating it was time to make for the rendezvous, the time being 3pm. Our arrival at the aforementioned book seller was met by a conspicuous lack of mother, however we bore her no ill will. There are worse places to wait for someone than a bookstore it is said, especially for two avid readers as Wintersbell and myself, however even the most patient of sons would be taxed by a twenty minute wait delay in a promised rendezvous. It was then that the wisdom of the bookseller rendezvous was most apparent.
A belated meeting is better than an unexplained absence, a sentiment to which mother's arrival at twenty past the hour attested her agreement. A brief exchange of greetings followed, then the question was raised as to what to do next, there being an air of expectation wreathing like a well fed snake around or group. I, for want of a more productive enterprise proposed that we relocate to a nearby cafe from where thoughts could be gathered, packages rested and thirsts sated.
The cafe chosen had in former times been a pleasant respite from the bustle of George Street and in many ways still was, however an ownership change gave the cafe a new Persian style. Persian food and culture rivals that of many cultures, their breadth of historical enterprise should shame lesser peoples and so it was indeed a pleasure to enjoy the hospitality of these people. In fact if I had the capacity I would have eaten heartily of their fare, unfortunately our party was still satisfied from our lunch so with regret we ordered hot drinks only. Wintersbell, reflecting his natural sense of occasion ordered a flat white, mother a pot of Earl Grey, which I must admit was out of character and I of course ordered a Chai Latte. This relatively new beverage is a delightful combination of spiced Masala tea with milk and it satisfies me greatly, an added advantage being that it negates the need to purchase coffee, to which I am not partial.
The arrival of our beverages was timely; Wintersbell had not long sent his eyes towards the staff. I must admit to being a little disappointed with my Chai, it being over sweet, however it still refreshed me, I made a note to have a quiet word with the Barista on a future visit. It may have been remiss of me but I did not think to enquire of my companions as to their enjoyment of their refreshments, however discussion of my day caused my usually satisfactory manners to depart to climates more fair. I will endeavour in future to take more care.
After a pleasing time we took our leave of the cafe and decided to end our visit to the city and depart for the cheerful fire of our homeward hearth. Wintersbell, lacking transport announced his intention to find the necessary bus to take him home. Mother and I immediately made our displeasure known, it would have been remiss of us not to offer Wintersbell transport to his house, our invitation was gracefully accepted and so we departed.
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