Our Links:
External Links:
Enter a key word to search for posts:Misunderstandings
Posted on: Monday October 23, 2017 at: 4:53 pm
Now, I would be the first to acknowledge that I don’t exactly have a “Received Pronunciation” English accent. However, I can usually make myself understood without problems. Not today however.
We are moored up in Royal Leamington Spa for a couple of days (meeting an engineer on Wednesday to have the generator serviced). We decided to go for a walk and have a look around. It is an interesting town, with lots of history and obvious displays of bygone wealth. After visiting the park and having a look at the rather different display of shops to the usual High Street, we decided to have a cup of tea. Having come across an interesting eatery called “Bill’s” (maybe you have one near you – they started in Lewes, but have a very North American feel), we went in and decided on both having a cream tea. The cream tea consisted of two scones with cream, strawberries, jam, a slice of Victoria Sponge and, of course, tea.
The young lady who sat us down and took our order clearly was not used to different accents being, I suspect, from Eastern Europe somewhere.
“Cream tea for two please” I say. (OK, so it turns out that this could have been a little ambiguous.)
“Certainly” she replies and off she goes, only to return a few minutes later with a large teapot and two glass mugs. “Would you like anything to eat with that?”
“?” “Besides the Victoria Sponge and scones” I ask? “No thanks.”
“Just the green tea then.”
“Not green tea”, I explain,”cream tea for two, with English Breakfast tea”
“Oh sorry,” and she takes the pot and mugs away. A few minutes later she returns with two cups and another big pot, this time full of English Breakfast tea. So I pour Helen and myself a cup each while we wait for the two cream teas.
Shortly, another server turns up with a plate. On the plate are two scones, a small saucer of cream, a small saucer with some bits of strawberry on it and one slice of Victoria Sponge.
“Hang on”, I say,”what is this?”
“That is how the cream tea comes Sir” she says.
“With only one slice of Victoria Sponge – but there are two of us?”
“Would you like another slice of sponge cake Sir?”
“Well yes, that would be a good start.” A few minutes later she returns with another plate, on which is another slice of sponge cake, a small saucer with cream and a small saucer with bits of strawberry (in fairness there were also several large pots of jam on the table).
“Just a minute,” I say, “this doesn’t make sense. On the menu it says a cream tea consists of this. Why can I not order two cream teas?”
“Oh, you want TWO cream teas, not cream tea for two?”
“Yes, that is what I asked for.”
“Sorry Sir, I will bring more scones and make it correct.” A few minutes later, another huge pot of tea arrives – the first pot had more than the two of us could drink anyway, but now we have twice as much. The scones duly arrive and we eventually both enjoy our requested cream tea. We came away happy though as they discounted the second cream tea as an apology.
Once the ball starts rolling down the wrong path it can be very difficult to stop. “Cream tea for two” and “two cream teas” are, after all it seems, completely different things. Who knew?
Hi Kit
I sent your Cream Tea saga to my friend Jules who lives in Leamington. She will be in tomorrow (Friday) if you need a local friendly face.
Best wishes
Guy
Good to hear from you Guy. I am afraid we have already moved on, but may be back there in a few weeks. May try and give her a call then. Glad you enjoyed the blog.
perhaps a welsh accent next time? never mind you had all the entertainment thrown in.