Apologies to Starbucks this week, but Waitrose just pips it. It's light and airy, the tea is nicer and they aren't pumping breezy jazz into my ears.
I saw a table as I was queuing. Perfect little plug socket, comfy cushioned seat in the corner and a clean white table to spread out today's Times and pretend I know how to do the crossword.
I ordered a pot of tea and waited for them to figure out which of them was qualified enough to fill a teapot with boiling water. I think they do it on purpose so that your mind is drawn to the packets of biscuits and the pastries and cakes displayed like glistening museum exhibits. I looked at the mirror behind the counter, where a strange nerdy looking guy was staring right back at me. He seemed kind of sad.
"There you are, sir," said the Waitrose Person. I smiled, said thank you and picked up the tray carrying the flowery teapot, the elegantly shaped milk jug and the thin china cup.
An old man was sitting at my table. Arm resting on the edge, he casually flicked through a newspaper, looking up to check his wife was still behind me in the queue. I had a little grumble about that, realised it was silly and sat somewhere else where I could watch for the table to become free.
I'm feeling a little brighter today. It's good news because it means I'm not going completely crazy, living on my own. It's probably a good thing for the guinea pigs as well - I'm sure they were getting a bit fed up of me complaining at them while feeding them in the mornings. In fact, one of them scurries into the hay whenever he sees me coming.
"Hello!" said a voice in my ear just now. It was John and Sylvia, two older friends who've always wanted good things to happen for me, and whom I've not seen for a long time. Before long, they were pouring out encouragement as though they'd been sent to Waitrose Coffee Shop for this exact purpose. Sylvia grabbed my arm and looked straight into my eyes.
"And you must read Philippians 4!" she exclaimed, enthusiastically, "It will tell you how to think and what to think about!" That's my next mission then. I didn't tell either of them that today marks exactly ten years since I sat in my tent in Wales, memorising the whole of Philippians. When she started quoting the chapter it felt like the entire thing was flooding back to me.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure..."
I looked across at the table with the plug socket. The old couple had gone and a new lady was sitting there with a paper and a flowery teapot. I smiled to myself. I'm sure Philippians 4 is the bit where Paul says he's learned the 'secret of being content'...
"Anyway, you must come and see us!" said Sylvia, "You don't need to wait for an invitation!"
I sometimes wonder whether I've got much more good stuff in my life than I've ever really realised.
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