Good Manners
Story from Blushes 23 with a lovely drawing by Alan Bell ‘Two teas and a ham roll.’ The girl at the counter slides two saucers off a pile and clunks two cups onto them. She pours in milk, then tea, then passes them to the customer. ‘Sugar’s on the table, sir,’ she says. ‘Ham roll.’ ‘Yes sir.’ She takes the roll from a display cabinet with chromium tongs. ‘Anything else sir?’ ‘No.’ Coins ring on the plate-glass counter. The man takes his teas and comes back for the roll. As he turns his back the girl pokes out her tongue, a small gesture, then she darts a glance sideways at a white-coated figure in the kitchen who has been watching the interchange between customer and employee. The girl’s cheeks are pink, probably from the heat of the hot water running behind the counter, which enhances the look of guilt that comes over her pretty face as she realises that her little demonstration has not passed unnoticed. She looks away, eyes downcast, and neatens a pile of plat...