It’s a bit different going down the pub these days, we still do it regularly, down to the Dolphin to partake of a couple or so pints of Otter and we always have an enjoyable time, but it’s different. There are always regulars, but who the regulars changes as people move away, or move to the village, as people have other commitments, or maybe just don’t come in at the time we do any more.
As ever we mosey down at about tenish, just for the last hour – it’s only a five minute walk, in fact less if it’s raining as we hurry along. We enter the door nearest, the one on the corner, opposite the Italian restaurant, La Cucina. We used to sit in this first bar, that was our regular end of the pub, and if we were meeting the 2 T’s then we had our regular seats. There aren’t often any other people in this bar by the time we arrive, it’s usually busiest early evening when people are eating. Now we wander through to the middle bar, we call it the Crossbenches after the seats in the House of Lords where independent members sit.
Last night as we drifted into The Dolphin, there was only another T, Terry who was resident in the crossbenches, sitting as usual on a stool at the corner of the bar. The Dolph isn’t one of those pubs where people generally sit along beside the bar, but people do, sit on the high stools or stand. If I’m drinking at the bar I stand – short legs and high stools aren’t a match made in pub heaven. last night we stood for a while with a pint of Otter, talking to Terry and catching up with his news and harmless pub gossip. He bade us farewell and departed and we sat down, chatting, gossiping, exchanging news as if we hadn’t been together all day at home!
Through in the bar at the other end where the juke box and dartboard are there were the poker players enjoying their game. There were others sitting and standing including the owners of Harley the most adorable English bulldog. He’s a very chunky chap, but very friendly even though we guessed that his amiable approach was actually to check out whether we had any crisps or nibbles. Sadly for him we didn’t and he soon wandered back to his owners.
We didn’t stay long, just over an hour, and then as it was closing time anyway, we supped up and wended our five-minute way home. We could have had a drink at home, it would have been cheaper and we wouldn’t have been sprinkled with drizzle, but drinking at home is just not the same as being in the pub!
Lois Elsden 