I’d just sat down to a nice cup of coffee.

Two sugar sachets are on the saucer. The teaspoon looks rusty and dirty from too many dishwasher washes. Never mind, the coffee looks good, and it’s a beautiful day here on Mumbles seafront.

I take my first sip, and then it begins.

“Hello, Brian, can you hear me……I’m on the mobile……can you hear me, Brian?”

Bit of a pause.

“Brian, can you……what?…….what did you say, Brian?”

Longer pause.

“I’m ringing to find out if…….Brian, are you still there?”

Bit of a pause.

“OK, I’m waving now. Can you see me?”

Pause

“Well, I’m waving. Hold on, I’ll get Margaret to wave.”

Margaret starts to wave her hand.

“Can you see us?”

Pause

“Well, I can’t understand it; we’re both waving. Are you there, Brian? Can you hear me?”

Pause

“Yes, I was ringing to find out if it was working?”

Pause

“No, I said, I was ringing…….Brian, can you hear me? Perhaps you can’t hear what I’m saying?”

Pause.

“OK, I’ll get Margaret to wave again. Hold on.”

Margaret waves again, and a small girl passing by, licking an ice cream cone, waves back at her.

“Can you see her waving, Brian? I’m waving now as well. Can you see us?”

Pause.

“No, I’ve been to the Opticians. My eyes are OK. I wasn’t ringing about that; I was ringing about the……”

Longer pause.

“No, my eyes are fine. They said I could continue with the glasses I’ve had for the last… hello…Brian, can you hear me? Are you still there, Brian?”

He looks at the phone.

“I think he’s gone, Margaret.”

He puts the phone back to his ear.

“Brian, are you still there?”

By this time, I had gulped my coffee down, wanting to get away, but then he looked at the phone again, and this time he closed it up, since it was one of those clam-style phones. I thought about getting another coffee and maybe a cake to continue my people-watching, but then his phone rang.

“Hello…Brian, is that you? Can you hear me?”

Not wanting to find out what he wanted to know was working; Toby and I made a rapid departure.

We enjoyed a lovely, quiet walk home along the beach without the sound of any mobile phones going off.

Toby on the beach

Have you ever overheard a one-sided conversation? What was it about?

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73 responses to “How To Spend A Restful Few Minutes Over A Cup Of Coffee”

  1. olganm avatar

    I love it when people have what are meant to be private conversations as if the fact that being on a phone made them invisible and inaudible to others around them. I hope you have a lovely and quiet weekend. :)

    1. Hugh's Views and News avatar

      Thanks, Olga. You too. Can’t believe it’s a week since the book fair. Where does the time go?

  2. Marje @ Kyrosmagica avatar

    Ha Ha!! Those overheard one sided conversations! Glad you escaped …. !

  3. tlryder avatar

    I have occasionally overheard, quite against my will, half of some very personal conversations. Some people seem to forget that they are in public when the phone is by their ear.

    1. Hugh's Views and News avatar

      They do, but these conversations can sometimes make listening in on, very interesting.

      1. tlryder avatar

        Some of those conversations definitely make good fodder for fiction writers. :)

        1. Hugh's Views and News avatar

          I agree. I’ve heard a few that would make a great Horror story. 👹

  4. neelwritesblog avatar

    Oh! What a laugh.

    1. Hugh's Views and News avatar

      It was like watching a comedy sketch. The whole place could hear what was going on.

  5. Julz.......artist, blogger, photographer, graphic designer avatar

    the walk sounds good, the coffee part not so much. Mobile phones seem to a bane of our modern day existence. Personally I can live without it most of the time, by why do some people insist on sharing their conversation with everyone else at the top of their voice, it’s infuriating.

    1. Hugh's Views and News avatar

      It is, Julz, and although I take my mobile phone with me when going out, I always put in on silent when sitting down to a meal or refreshments and, if I have to take a call, I’ll walk away to somewhere a little quieter where I can not be overheard. Many people seem to almost shout down their phone, probably thinking the other person can not hear them if the signal is not very good.

      1. Julz.......artist, blogger, photographer, graphic designer avatar

        It’s just plain rude….or am I a grumpy old lady lol

  6. macjam47 avatar

    Haha! I I hope at least you had a good cuppa.

    1. Hugh's Views and News avatar

      I drunk it rather quickly and made my escape. Michelle. 😀

  7. dorne whale avatar

    Loved this Hugh. Folk don’t realize how annoying they can be. But, great writing material.
    Glad you’re settling in Wales. I love Mumbles and the beautiful beaches. You lucky devils. Xx

    1. Hugh's Views and News avatar

      You are so right about this kind of stuff being great writing material, Dorne. I’ve often heard it said that this is where writers get their ideas and characters from.

      Mumbles is lovely. Toby loves the beach, although there is now only certain parts of it he’s allowed on being as Summer season has started. If you’re ever in this part of the country then please come and visit us.
      xx

      1. dorne whale avatar

        Thanks Hugh. It’s a long time since I was in your neck of the woods. I remember swimming in practically tropical seas off Oxwich beach? The water was so clear you could see the masses of fish. There was a glorious warm breeze coming off the sea. I could go on and on and on! LOL. xx

        1. Hugh's Views and News avatar

          Please do go on and on, Dorne. 😀 Yes, there is an Oxwich Bay. John knows it as he went there as a child. It’s on our list of places to explore, now that all the unpacking has been done.

          1. dorne whale avatar

            It’s nearly thirty years since I visited it, Hugh. But, it was absolutely stunning, with sand dunes and pale sand. Well worth a visit. xxx

  8. eloisedesousa avatar

    Lol! Didn’t you offer to use your apple device to link to Brian, Hugh? 😂

    1. Hugh's Views and News avatar

      Goodness, I dread to think what they would have done to my iPhone, Eloise.

  9. Ali Isaac avatar
    Ali Isaac

    How annoying! Some people are so selfish and thoughtless, aren’t they? Not very impressed with the spoon, either…

    1. Hugh's Views and News avatar

      No, but the coffee was good, Ali. I don’t drink much coffee, preferring tea instead, so I’ll try their tea next time and see what conversation comes up.

      1. Ali Isaac avatar
        Ali Isaac

        Lol! A quieter one, hopefully! 😄

  10. davidprosser avatar

    How annoying. Relaxation with a coffee, time to turn the mobiles off.
    Hugs Hugh.

    1. Hugh's Views and News avatar

      Agreed, David. Or put them and their owners on silent. 😀
      Hugs from the South.

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