Postby Pallas » Mon Jun 21, 2021 1:15 am
I’d been taking one of my usual strolls around Dundee a few turns back. In the square I came across a young adventurer, name of Joey. I didn’t recall having seen him for some time. He was looking at the Dundee Inn as though unsure whether he should enter or not. ‘It’s an impressive building, isn’t it?’ I said. ‘Have you been inside?’
The youngster shook his head. ‘No,’ he replied. ‘I haven’t gone in. I haven’t ever gone into an inn, and never drunk anything they’d sell.’
‘Come on in with me, and sit for a while.’ I encouraged him. ‘If you don’t like ale, you can try the fruitflower tea.’
Joey hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement. We went in and I introduced my young companion to the innkeeper. ‘Jeffrey will look after you. He’s quite good-natured – mostly. Just make sure you wipe your boots on the way in, and don’t drop crumbs or spill a drink on the floor.’
The lad looked around, again nodding. ‘It would be a shame to mark the floor. These floorboards are well smoothed and fitted. And the seats and tables have been made with great care by the look of them.’
I gave Joey a tea and a small ale. ‘Here’s some tea for you. And an ale, for you to taste. Don’t drink it if you don’t like it. Let’s sit, shall we?’
We took a seat by the window and Joey glanced out at the bustling square outside. ‘So many people,’ he said in a quiet tone. Then he turned his attention back to the interior of the inn, commenting on the heavy wooden beams in the ceiling and those set into the walls with whitewashed areas between them. ‘This is all so different from my home,’ he muttered. ‘That magnificent fireplace is the size of an entire wall of the shack where I lived.’ He took a sip of ale and shuddered slightly. With a muttered apology he put it down, being careful to avoid the candle standing in the centre of the table. ‘Got to be careful. Sometimes I’m a bit clumsy!’ He smiled rather shyly.
‘This is very welcoming,’ he remarked after a while. He sniffed. ‘I don’t particularly like the smell of ale. But the food smells good. And I can smell soap and beeswax. They sure keep busy making sure the place is neat and clean.’
‘It always has been,’ commented Jeffrey. ‘I never had any complaints.’
Joey spoke quietly, gesturing in the direction of two chairs fitted with comfortable-looking cushions: one in purple, the other in deep crimson. ‘There must be very fine people who visit here,’ he said. ‘Those two chairs look very grand. They must be kept for only the most special visitors. And some people even have their own mug!’ He pointed to a wooden mug set on the bar inscribed with Jeffrey’s name.
‘Sometimes people make little things to help decorate the place,’ I said. ‘Like that mug, and the clock. As a sort of extra thanks to Jeffrey for his fine service.’
‘And there are more of the fine people,’ Joey noted as some patrons were allowed up the broad staircase, while others were not.
‘Going up there depends on whether or not your taxes are currently paid,’ I explained. ‘And the back room in the north wall is somewhere to go if you want to talk about things not usually discussed in here.’
‘I see. I don’t think I’d need to go in there.’
‘If there is somewhere you need to go, the men’s room is through that door and to your right,’ I commented.
Joey blushed. ‘No, thank you.’ He finished his tea. ‘I should get some rest, I think.’ He stood, thanking Jeffrey. I noted with some small amusement that as he headed toward the door he walked on the floorboards, as though he feared treading on the hide rugs.
‘No need to worry about stepping on the rugs,’ I said. ‘Treat this place as a home.’
He shook his head. ‘Oh no,’ he said. ‘This is a fine place, and it feels very welcoming. Very different from my old home.’
‘Enjoyed your visit, lad?’ Tyral asked.
Joey flushed slightly once again, at being spoken to. ‘Yes, very much thank you.’ He stood for a moment as though undecided, then reached out to pet Scooter. He smiled as the little dog responded enthusiastically to the attention.
He stopped at the door, turning to speak to Jeffrey and to Tyral. ‘Thank you again. I like this place. I will come again.’
I raised my hand in a farewell, watching as the youth stepped out and disappeared into the throng in the square. ‘Jeffrey, I think I might have found you a new patron. That must be worth a free ale, don’t you think?’ I asked with a laugh.
Jeffrey also laughed. ‘No, I don’t, seeing as I don’t understand the term free ale! Take care Pallas.’
Before stepping out from the inn, I stopped and looked around, seeing the place through the eyes of a fresh young adventurer. It made me think, for the first time in a very long while, how fine a building the inn is, and how fortunate we are to have such an establishment to give warmth and welcome, set at the heart of the town.
The joke is on the bloke who never spoke a word at all
But whose dreams lay unrevealed 'til they were rotten ...
Lindisfarne 'The Things I Should Have Said'