Café Bath

Coffee and walnut cake

Tea lightly brewed

We are settling down for a while

Before we explore the City of the Caesars

 

Bath Café

Today the sky was classically grey and the lingering drizzle did nothing to improve its tired flow

Tourists some from afar huddled under colourful umbrellas and obediently followed their tour guides as they explored my damp dank city

I was sitting at the window of the Bath Café watching these brave people pass by

Occasionally a red tour bus broke the monotony of the hour with its upper deck quite vacant

You ought to visit this beautiful city in the summer

It retains its beauty all year but especially in the summer

The buildings glow in the low sun as the day slips away

Oh summer days so far away yet so near

An elderly woman entered the café after she had tied her miserable dog to one of the iron tables outside

The poor creature watched me drink my coffee for a while before it sought deeper shelter

In the summer these tables would be full

But not today my little friend

Because like you and I these people are seeking sanctuary

Let the chatter begin

I order another coffee and am served by a scrawny youth wearing a faded Superman tee shirt

Down from mountains I see

The youth smiles weakly but I know that he has not understood my joke

We are usually much busier on wet days such as today  

I finish in an hour

Perhaps it will pick up before then

Are you a student at the university?

Yes I am in my final year

Where are you from?

Middlesbrough

Do you like Bath

It is a beautiful city and the people are so pleasant

Are you a visitor

Yes and no I was born here but live far away

I visit the city of my dreams quite frequently

I suppose you could call me a home based visitor

The elderly woman who was visibly irritated called the youth to her table

Teacakes there are no teacakes on the menu today

I always have teacakes on a Thursday

What about your poor dog I say silently to myself

February is a strange month as it is almost touching spring but it also can be the most savage of months with bitingly cold days followed by snow

On my journey into the city I noticed that snowdrops were beginning to emerge and that the new green leaves of March and April could just be seen

The leaf slurry from the autumn was gradually vanishing into the general detritus of the season although the trees were still bare and quite wretched

Near the café there is a clothing shop called Aphrodite which I consider is a strange name as at present the window displays thick fisherman’s sweaters and jeans to match all in high chic

Perhaps in the summer the window will display gossamer blouses fit for the season and bohemian skirts of many colours

But it is not the clothing that interests me but the hanging basket which are full of imported blooms

Each day I am told the owner of the shop waters these doomed flowers no matter the weather and as the bright petals begin to wilt she replaces them

 Almost on a daily basis

Such is her devotion to colour

Today the display appears to be in its prime but I know that the sad flowers if they could think or perceived emotion would be considering the warm and humble breezes of their infancy

Six months ago I was living in a hotel room which had extensive views of the desert

No matter what the hour was I always kept my main windows open such was the heat of the area and it was not unusual for members of my research team to join me for refreshments on the main veranda of the hotel in the early hours of the morning

We all lived in our shirts and shorts

Today that is a distant memory and I look at my overcoat hanging proudly on the coat stand

At present we are connected for when I leave this little café I will need the coat as the wind is turning towards the north

Hour by hour

That might bring snow

Bath looks even more beautiful in the snow although it has been many years since I have witnessed such an event

The elderly woman has left the café taking her miserable dog with her

The scrawny youth who was wearing a faded Superman tee shirt has also left the café and a women of intermediate years has replaced him

I order my final coffee from her knowing that within the hour I will also have to leave this comfortable seat by the window and make my way back to my lodgings as I have many papers to consider

My addiction to coffee will carry me though the many pages and after my exploration I might just visit this café again just to take the cold air and watch the nighthawks of the city pass by

 

2018