Mary's Blog - A Pot of Tea

A Pot of Tea

posted by Barter Books @ 2:34pm, Sunday 24 August 2008.

As a world-class worrier, I have to say that our just-opened Buffet has already proved an invaluable source of new things to worry about.

For example: I was worried that no-one would come. Ruin was ahead. I felt sorry for Phil who had worked so hard to make it happen, tirelessly chasing after the architect, the joiner, the mason, the plumber, the electrician, me. Phil didn’t deserve ruin.

(Advance forward: this worry proved to be a nonstarter. Look, this is our High Season, Buffet or no Buffet. Plus, it’s been a rainy Summer so people aren't going as much to the coast, gardens, hills. They want to be inside somewhere, somewhere cozy. Like, say, a bookshop. In short, prime conditions for us. So that if people didn’t come now, they never would. But they are.)

Then I started worrying that too many people might come.

And why on earth would I worry about that?

Partly it was to fill the void left when I no longer had to worry that no-one would come.

And partly it was because I began thinking that if too many people came, there wouldn’t be enough seating in the Buffet (the Buffet is only small) and those disgruntled customers who couldn’t get a seat might go away and never come back. And, just for good measure (a nice refinement, this), warn their friends.

(Advance forward again: this worry proved to be a nonstarter, too, as there was a simple solution: if there weren’t enough seats in the Buffet, there were more in our Old Waiting Room. Simple as that.)

But mostly I worried because I suddenly saw this spillover crowd (in my mind's eye, hordes) as a potential threat to one of my favourite features in the shop.

Follow me: if there were all these people, and if they did take their trays down to our Old Waiting Room, they would then sit there clanking their dishes and shouting and generally creating mayhem. Which would mean, in turn, that that room would lose the very quality not just I but not a few of our customers love best: its calm.

From the first, the room was designed to be the sort of place you could escape to. (Picture the original hand-made Victorian tiles, the high ceiling, the cast-iron mantelpiece,) No mobiles, no music, no pressure – stay all day if you like, read the newspaper, read a book (or write one), we don't care. All this heated in the Winter by the open fireplace, just the smell (coal) and the sound (the crackle) somehow reassuring. (When we restored that room, some people thought we were crazy not to use the space to make money. Particularly, I guess, when we didn't have any. )

Happily, that worry has proved as gossamer as (most of) the others, for even given the occasional actual test of a large spillover crowd (and I've been there among them), the quiet of the Waiting Room has held..

Not possible, you'd think, not with all those people - grannies, children, teen-agers, young couples and old ones. They come in carrying their trays - a pot of tea, a bacon sandwich, a cheese toastie, a scone, a cupcake - and, yes, with all the inevitable clanking that involves, the knives, forks, spoons, all of it. (It’s going on right now as I write, me sitting there, adding the odd clank myself.)

Still, the people (even their children) keep their voices low. They respect the No Mobile sign. Their dogs lie at their feet, seem happy. Even that clanking has a kind of friendly ring to it. And it all somehow melds together in a way that makes the room seem (will you believe me? Or will you think it hype?) enhanced.

Why?

I don’t know. I can’t see this happening in America. In America, the room would have been filled with noise – cheerful, I have to say, a nice buzz (in its own way, I miss that sound a lot, everyone going full steam) – but in no way peaceful.

Still, sitting in there this summer, I do have a theory. Bear with me. (Just remember: I’m a Yank.)

I think it is somewhere connected with that pot of tea. A proper pot, note – China, with a graceful curving spout.

And not just the pot either but also all its time-honoured companions, all huddling near their old friend - the little jug of milk, the sugar sticks, the cup and saucer (forget a mug), the spoon.

Well, I think you put a British person together with that pot of tea and whether they will or no, on the spot, whoever they are and wherever they come from, the tea pot reminds them just who they are, England expects. And they do.

My Old Waiting Room, against all fears, is purring. And so am I.

Still, don’t think my worries are over. The summer figures seem all right, at least so far. But we have the Winter ahead. And I bet nobody will come.

Anyone for a cuppa?

Comments

As someone who is the only person on a mainly Yank discussion group (we all are female and own Tibetan Spaniels - how closed a group can you get) I have just spent some time discussing with them the concept of a good cup of tea and how it should be made (and a tea bag in a mug just does not cut it). They have all been intrigued by the idea of how and why the brits are so obsessed by the notion of a good cup of tea. I am looking forward to coming to Barter Book in just over a weeks time, as we are coming to Alnwick on holiday. Barter Books is definately on the agenda and now that we know, we will also come to sample the delights of your tea room and also to buy copies of the your poster "Keep Calm and Carry On" on which I had never even heard of until this morning - I don't read many newspapers.

Shops like yours appear to be rare these days - definately KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON!

Kay Enk - 7:22am, Wednesday 20 May 2009.

Oh dear am in love with Barter Books. We are just back from our first holiday in Northumberland (live in Birmingham) and spent a long time in your shop last Monday. Didn't want to leave, it was the soft music, the wonderful smell of the fire as well as the tea and books. In an ideal world would be applying for a job(no pay) right now but cannot cope with a 250 mile commute so will just have to dream on, if you ever want to open a branch down here I'm your (wo)man. Also intrigued re your life story - am hanging on for next chapter after the flat in Oxford is sorted - what next?
PS In my head I work part time at Barter books and the rest of the week potter round the garden at Cragside and do a some dead heading etc... in reality am a travel agent and back to work tomorrow. PS Could not see copies of Ma Cheetah, it is on my list of books to buy eventually.

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