Love Story At Fortnum & Mason

At Funfschilling (c) Claudia Schoenfeld

My first day in London and I wanted to find Leicester Square,
and found myself at Piccadilly Circus. I remembered movie 
news clips of VE day there and other times news stories 
talked about it. 

Walking down the street I saw a store with a clock that had moving figures. 
Above the door on an overhang was written FORTNUM & MASON. 
I didn't know anything about it. Yet its charm drew me in. 
In the window were china honey pots and jars of honey from all many countries. 
It was an old-fashioned looking department store. Since 1767 as it turns out. 

I went in and found a little restaurant in the center of the ground floor. 
Hungry, I decided to have something to eat. It was tea-time. 
I was seated next to a couple and here is what I overheard:

For you, high tea in busy London town...............him
I love it here, this store has history......................her

Det er en stund siden vi var her, vet du.
For fire år siden tror jeg, før Russland.

Vi ønsket noen teapots det året, husker?
Ja, het jaar Boven Downstairs-- de Denen en Nederlands begon
te chique Britse Tea Sets.

Что мы получаем в Санкт-Петербурге?
Не знаю, может быть, яйцо Фаберже копии.

La donna accanto a noi non sembra inglese, Dimmi cosa ne pensi?
Poteva essere irlandese. Sembra irlandese a me.

Mi chiedo perché lei è qui pranzando da solo?

Potrebbe essere americano. Che un sacco di americani sono qui oggi!

 גם הרבה ישראלים. אני מופתע מהקבוצה שפגשתי במלון.
                                הם היו משלחת מסוג כלשהו, לא?
                               הם נמצאים כאן על האולימפיאדה!
                                  הממ! האם אתה מדבר איתם ...

Au plaisir de Paris, n'est-ce pas?
Toujours. C'est le printemps.
Je veux profiter de certains de nos choses préférées
Et aller faire du shopping? Obtenir quelque chose de beau pour vous-même, mon cher.
Oh oui, j'ai besoin de quelques choses.
Dis-je, nous allons avoir un pique-nique dans le Bois de Boulogne!

Mais Oui. Je vais prendre quelques fromages et les viandes avec du pain et du vin.
Nous nous arrêterons par cette boutique de la rue du Val d'Or.
Oh j'adore ce quartier. Voyons un petit hôtel il.

Tak min kærlighed, for denne meget engelsk behandler.
Du gør mig glad hver dag.
Åh, du ved ... I mellemtiden (Åh jeg vil betale regningen)
er vi nødt til at købe dem, honning og honning potter!

I introduced myself before they left. A couple who had been 
in business for decades. Buying and selling, travelling the world 
buying lovely things to sell. They spoke all European languages, 
of course, they said. As doing business required a knowledge of 
languages --two dialects of Chinese, more middle Eastern 
languages, Welsh and Irish too.  They had been to Texas, 
had friends in Dallas and were glad to meet me. So generous 
and so gracious,  I’ll never forget them.   

and the English translation of the conversation here:

For you, High Tea in Busy London town……………………
I love it here, this store has history…………….. her
It’s been a while since we were here, you know.
Four years ago I think, before Russia.

We wanted some teapots that year, recall?
Yes, the year Upstairs Downstairs-- the Danes
and Dutch began to fancy British Tea Sets.

What did we get in St Petersburg?
Don’t know, maybe Faberge egg copies.

The lady next to us does not look English,
Tell me what do you think?
She could be Irish. She looks Irish to me.
I wonder why she’s here having lunch alone?

She might be American. What a lot of Americans are here today!
A lot of Israelis too. I’m surprised by the group I met in the hotel.
They were a delegation of some sort, weren’t they?
They’re here about the Olympics!
Hm! Did you talk to them…
Yes, a little.

Looking forward to Paris, aren’t you?
Always. It’s springtime. I want to enjoy some of our favorite things
And go shopping? Get something beautiful for yourself, my dear.
Oh yes, I need a few things.
I say, let’s have a picnic in the Bois de Boulogne!
Yes. I’ll get some cheeses and meats with bread and wine.
We’ll stop by that shop on the Rue du Val d'Or
Oh I adore that neighborhood. Let’s find a small hotel there.

Thank you my love, for this very English treat.
You make me happy every day.
Oh, you know… In the meantime, (oh I’ll pay the check)
we need to purchase those honeys and honeypots!

© Gay Reiser Cannon * 9.3.14 * All Rights Reserved