How to acquire local knowledge.

On Sunday I went to eat at an old inn a little way out of the village. It was full of people I knew! Lots of hugs enfolded me as we sat outside in warm sunshine.

It was soon clear that the pub had changed hands and I recognised the new man who was obviously in charge. I finally admitted that I knew him but I couldn't remember from where.

A lengthy discussion took place when I went into the bar.

He had been at the pub here in St Mawes....that must have been it!

He then grinned. "You remember me from way back " he said....and I did once my memory was jogged. I knew him as a pub chef in two establishments long before I settled here.

The people round the bar were enthralled, I knew them from church!

"Did you do all the pubs then."

Ahem. I did.

I wasn't on my own of course....we used to rent houses here several times a year. The first David used to refer to the pub in the village as his spiritual home!

When we brought our caravan here to look for a house after he had retired we ate in many of the pubs and clubs.

This gave me a lot of local knowledge which was useful after I was ordained. Some of it was uncomfortable knowledge which I had to pass on occasionally to colleagues...

Now when I eat out , bumping into very old friends and acquaintances is a great pleasure. It's just that all this local knowledge was gained in pubs...to the amusement of many of the locals...especially when I can name the long list of successive land lords and ladies easily. Ooops!

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