Ma and Pa are funny folk. Not funny weird, but funny, funny, if you know what I mean! They have spent their lives getting into situations no normal, sane or sensible person would even attempt. They take risks, some of them sound and calculated, but some are just plain funny. Most people would quake with fear, suffer from PTS after the event and probably never leave the house at the thought of finding themselves in the same situations....but Ma and Pa laugh in the face of it all!
Ma and Pa live abroad some of the year. They're retired now, so are trying to enjoy each others company...24 hours a day! Seeing as though I could never live with them longer than a week (they so exhaust me!), I think they're doing pretty well.
Last night I had a call from Ma and she recounted this little story that made me laugh out loud and giggle every time I think of it, but it's so typical of them I have no idea why I'm surprised.
They'd gone into the next town for their weekly shop. Once they're ensconced in their beach side home, they rarely leave the confines of their nirvana. But Saturday was upon them and they'd run out of supplies. Ma has taken a fancy to the local red wine, and there is only one place that it can be purchased, so off they went to scout for more supplies. As they were getting into their car to drive home they noticed on the other side of the road, a store which had many people milling about, going in and out, some were standing outside smoking, and cars were pulling up...it was busy.
Ma: "What's going on over there?"
Pa: "Could be a new opening or Could be a sale? What sort of shop is it?"
Ma "I can't really see from here"
Pa: "Looks really busy though."
Ma: "Looks interesting"
Pa: "Could be an auction!"
As they drove off towards home Pa declared,
"Lets live a little!", did a U turn in the road and pulled up outside the store and parked the car.
Ma: "You go in and have a look, and if it's interesting come and get me."
Pa jumped out of the car and ambled over. Ma could see him pushing the door open and he disappeared inside. 20 minutes went by and Pa had still not reappeared. Ma was annoyed, as is usual when Pa wanders off as it's generally for hours at a time. The car was getting hot and Ma wondered whether she should go inside to find him, thinking that he'd found something of interest.... such a drill bit.
Suddenly Pa appeared in the doorway. He looked sombre and nodded at the locals standing around the door. He quickly walked over to the car, and without talking pulled away from the parking space.
Ma: "Well, what was so interesting that you've been gone so long?"
Pa: "In a minute, I need a drink!
As they were sitting in the cafe. Pa recounted the past 20 minutes of his life.
Pa: "When I went in, all I could see was a line. I'd assumed we were queuing to get a ticket or something. Everyone was local, but I thought they knew something I didn't, so just stayed in line. At the door to the shop floor, a couple were shaking hands with all of those in the line, so I thought this was how they conducted the opening of a store. I shook hands with the couple, but had no idea what they were saying (Pa does not speak the language), but I thought they said something like "Thank you for coming" so I stayed in line. There were chairs laid out, so I guessed it was an Auction. As I sat down I could see to the front. Laid out in the middle of the room was a coffin! I was at a Wake!!! I was too embarrassed to leave as I thought it would seem rude, and I'd have had to walk past the couple I'd just shaken hands with. So I just bowed my head until I thought a reasonable time had passed, then got up and left."
Ma and Pa are sorry if they've offended anyone in their pursuit of bargains, but I think it's put them off "Living a little!"
Ma and Pa live abroad some of the year. They're retired now, so are trying to enjoy each others company...24 hours a day! Seeing as though I could never live with them longer than a week (they so exhaust me!), I think they're doing pretty well.
Last night I had a call from Ma and she recounted this little story that made me laugh out loud and giggle every time I think of it, but it's so typical of them I have no idea why I'm surprised.
They'd gone into the next town for their weekly shop. Once they're ensconced in their beach side home, they rarely leave the confines of their nirvana. But Saturday was upon them and they'd run out of supplies. Ma has taken a fancy to the local red wine, and there is only one place that it can be purchased, so off they went to scout for more supplies. As they were getting into their car to drive home they noticed on the other side of the road, a store which had many people milling about, going in and out, some were standing outside smoking, and cars were pulling up...it was busy.
Ma: "What's going on over there?"
Pa: "Could be a new opening or Could be a sale? What sort of shop is it?"
Ma "I can't really see from here"
Pa: "Looks really busy though."
Ma: "Looks interesting"
Pa: "Could be an auction!"
As they drove off towards home Pa declared,
"Lets live a little!", did a U turn in the road and pulled up outside the store and parked the car.
Ma: "You go in and have a look, and if it's interesting come and get me."
Pa jumped out of the car and ambled over. Ma could see him pushing the door open and he disappeared inside. 20 minutes went by and Pa had still not reappeared. Ma was annoyed, as is usual when Pa wanders off as it's generally for hours at a time. The car was getting hot and Ma wondered whether she should go inside to find him, thinking that he'd found something of interest.... such a drill bit.
Suddenly Pa appeared in the doorway. He looked sombre and nodded at the locals standing around the door. He quickly walked over to the car, and without talking pulled away from the parking space.
Ma: "Well, what was so interesting that you've been gone so long?"
Pa: "In a minute, I need a drink!
As they were sitting in the cafe. Pa recounted the past 20 minutes of his life.
Pa: "When I went in, all I could see was a line. I'd assumed we were queuing to get a ticket or something. Everyone was local, but I thought they knew something I didn't, so just stayed in line. At the door to the shop floor, a couple were shaking hands with all of those in the line, so I thought this was how they conducted the opening of a store. I shook hands with the couple, but had no idea what they were saying (Pa does not speak the language), but I thought they said something like "Thank you for coming" so I stayed in line. There were chairs laid out, so I guessed it was an Auction. As I sat down I could see to the front. Laid out in the middle of the room was a coffin! I was at a Wake!!! I was too embarrassed to leave as I thought it would seem rude, and I'd have had to walk past the couple I'd just shaken hands with. So I just bowed my head until I thought a reasonable time had passed, then got up and left."
Ma and Pa are sorry if they've offended anyone in their pursuit of bargains, but I think it's put them off "Living a little!"
That's hilarious!! I bet he was the talk of the afternoon after the funeral, with people wondering who on earth he was! Emma :)
ReplyDeleteOh Emma, I cried with laughter when Ma told me! It's just so typical of them. It was a good job my mother didn't go in with him, she would never have forgiven him!
ReplyDelete