Friday lunch time pubs in Lancaster got busy. It was basically the weekend, just a few more dead hours to go and a pint or two was acceptable, smoothe the passage. Nick looked like he had been in there since it opened, the satisfaction of the night before had given him the right to relax for a day, a pause before he charged back in at it all again on Monday.
What you having?
Any non-alcohol beer?I asked the barmaid.
Celebrating the great victory?
Well, he said. It helps. But we’re still not over the line. And even when we are. That's when the real fight’ll start.
Our drinks arrived. He cast a sideways glance at my bottle of alcohol-free but remained tight-lipped for a change.
You all right with Christine, aren’t you?
Yes of course I said. I don’t think she likes me much though.
He leaned on the bar. Maybe you and her should get together. It'll be like the opposite of a divorce, you start off squabbling over who gets custody of the kid and sort it out by getting married.
The kids here being? I asked though I knew who he meant. I am not sure I'm Christine's type, I said.
You gay, Carl? He asked me.
I half laughed, taken aback. I don’t think not wanting to get married to Christine, I started and he smiled quickly into his pint.. Actually I am already married, but it’s complicated, as they say. She’s in Japan.
Japanese? I nodded. Well done, he said. Speak the language?
Barely. Basic stuff.
Any other languages?
My Spanish is pretty good. I‘m a bit rusty though. That’s another long story I’ll tell you some time.
Andy’s been all over the shop, he said. Ex Navy, obviously. Middle east, Africa. Lot of the lads round here been off on contract work in a lot of different places. Not me. Magaluf’s about as far as I have got. Dos cervezas por favor. Point is, we support the Lancaster Sanctuary City initiative, know what that is?
Vaguely.
We take in refugees, one of the councillors is involved, a couple, work at the Uni. Anyway, we pledged to take on some of them that get leave to remain, jobs in the co-operative. We’ve got one at the moment in the Laundry, nice kid, but his English is a bit, you know, basic.
He looked at me frankly. You’ve spent a lot of time with foreigners right?. You met any Syrians he asked. Yes, I said quite a few.
They have got a café going and some other things on at one of the community centres. Maybe we could get them some English lessons. Unpaid, of course he said and raised his pint with a smile
Ah, I understood. Sure, I said I took a quick swig of my beer.
Christine’s organizing it.
Alright. Why did you ask me whether I was gay?
Well, he said I am. And you know, you are not a bad looking lad. Then he turned to me with a conspiratorial wink, enjoyed my uncertainty as to whether he was winding me up or not.
Another Becks Blue or have you hit your limit?
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