10th June 2012 My Glasgow Experience

By pure coincidence Glasgow kept popping up the last 3 days, on different days, by different people & on separate occasions. Before that I had not thought about it at all for years, nor heard it mentioned. All sorts of faded memories associated with Scotland, places I have been, people I have met, flicked through my mind suddenly in quick succession, like rewinding a documentary tape, with images racing through, too fast to capture the individual scenes or events, but certain faces & places jumped up like the highlighting button had been hit, and the faces would suddenly be connected with events, which would in turn lead to the locations. As if by magic, all is spread out before me, so fresh & vivid like everything had happened only yesterday.

The very 1st time I went to Glasgow some years ago, I had been forewarned that it's a seaport, more industrial than cultural, that many people are a bit rough, blunt, or not too friendly with foreigners.

After a leisurely late lunch & wandering about the city streets for a while, I noticed that one of the buttons of my favourite cardigan had fallen off, lost. I was quite upset as it's a new cashmere cardigan, rather expensive one. Then I spotted a little shop, sort of a haberdashery but with other odds & ends.

They didn't have what I needed but the lady in the shop told me about another shop not far away she said, & proceeded to describe how I could get there. I thanked her & was just about to leave, she called out: " Wait a minute" then, glancing at her wall clock, she said she would make a call to that shop to tell them I was on my way there, & would they shut up shop a few minutes later. She explained to me that all shops closed at 5.30 p.m. & it was then 5.15 already. The other shop said YES"! I thanked her profusely for her thoughtfulness & hurried on my way.

 

I arrived at this other shop at 5.45 having had some difficulty finding it. The lady there welcomed me with a big smile, & on her counter there were 2 trays with assorted buttons already set out for me!! I didn't get the button as none was suitable, but I was so impressed by both ladies' kindness & felt so grateful I bought a knitted woollen lamb which I see now everyday in my bedroom. Somehow the missing button was not so important any more. I left the shop very happy & still think of the 2 ladies now almost like friends.

Why on earth people think Glasgow was such a rough town with rude & unfriendly people??

Tags: glasgowexperience

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