THE TALES OF LIVING

In between my house and the part of campus I've got my classes on, there is 20 min walk down our local high street. A road which is full of energy, bustling and alive but never to busy or loud.

Walking down the high street today, I did a few stops. Regular everyday encounters, but little glimpses of why I've grown to love my neighbourhood.

I stop by my corner shop, to buy a bottle something sweet but not too sweet to drink during lecture. The corner shop is run by a 30-something man and his older father or uncle. 30-something waves his hand nonchalantly towards the two people before me in line with one hand and reaches for my bottle of fruit juice with the other. I've noticed how they serve me (and others like me) above other customers, like we are slightly more familiar/regular/local. He smiles and asks me about Uni and talks about the weather. While his older uncle/father laughs so his grey mustache is jiggling and hands me a lollipop and waves good bye.

I walk a little bit further down, to the pharmacy. The middle-aged woman behind the till, has blond hair and looks motherly. She greets me with:

"Darling, do you still have that cold?"

And hands me the packet of tissues in the same moment as I hand her the money. She smiles and warns me about the fact that it's getting colder outside even though the sun deviously still is shining.

A few blocks down, I step into the cobblers. He looks at my flats which needs new heels. We talk and laugh for a bit and he tells me to stop by on Thursday and bring my winter boots, which needs looking over. He says it'll only cost me a fiver and wishes me a good day.

Further down, a building site have been blocking the foot path for a while, filled up with builders and building site vehicles. But the builder next to me stops a lorry to a screeching halt and waves me across with a smile and a wink.

Even though, I live in big, busy London. It's like every little neighbourhood have their own bubble of sweet small town - or at least mine has.

I woke up to warmed tomato and cheese baguettes companioned by freshly ground coffee, which he had gone out and bought from our local cafe. Breakfast in bed on a rainy Saturday makes me feel like a princess. But he always tells me he only treats me the way I deserve to be treated.

So when he falls asleep again after breakfast, I put my headphones on and keep the light off, giving him the chance to sleep until he wakes up by himself.