Suck on a Fisherman's Friend

September 22, 2008

Overheard on the ferry this morning.

A youngish, slightly doughy Englishman is sitting on the ferry at 08:25 wearing an ironed tee-shirt with a collar. It has one of those indistinct sporty labels that place you in a certain social category, though which category that would be I really could not tell you.

A youngish, slim, nondescript Chinese woman with a slight North American twang walks up in a tight black dress and stilletoes.

"Hi," she says enthusiastically, "what are you doing here?"

She sits down next to the Englishman while he mumbles something unconvincing about deciding to go to work on this ferry on this day, and sit in this particular seat on a whim, a prayer, a spur, or some such.

It's all rather cute in a Hugh Grant kinda way - all rather gosh fancy seeing you here, umm, well, you know, lovely day, like your dress, gosh, isn't the light so ... sort of ... morningy.

Mildly amusing but not very distracting, like a Hollywood film running quietly in the background. Until, that is, she offers him a sweet.

"Oh, yes please," he says enthusiastically. "It's always good to suck on a Fisherman's Friend."

I look over then.

From his face it's clear he does not understand the pun, and neither, bless, does she.