Thursday, February 07, 2008

big sauce, photo, necessity

Sitting outside Ragged Trousers in the Pantiles for a tipple and a snack, we are brought a giant bottle of Lee & Perrins Worcester Sauce to go with some toasted cheese. Worcester Sauce, in its familiar bottle, is one of those things that's been around since my childhood and long before, and, in my travelling days, I've spotted it in bars and restaurants all over the world bars, but never have I seen a bottle this size, twice the normal size. "It's specially for bars," says our friend at the Trousers. I look on the label and note that the bottle contains 568 ml.


An elderly gentleman with two cameras, one in a case over his shoulder and one hanging in front of him, takes a photograph of the 18th century music gallery above a jewellers shop in the Pantiles. But he doesn't move on. Instead he waits looking round him as though hoping that something will happen. After a while, he homes in on a couple, about his age, walking past. It becomes clear that he wants to photograph the man, so that he can take another shot of the plaque, which reads "Musick Gallery...1789", with his model in the foreground. He takes great care in posing him with his hand to his ear, looking up at the plaque and the empty gallery.

In the chemist, an old woman with a credit card gets ready to pay for her purchases."That will be £39.72", says the assistant. And adds: "Is that OK?"" It will have to be," says the old woman, swaying a little.

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