Minimal
stressed for motivation and achievement2003-08-05
A local pub for local people
Ever walked into a country pub, only for time to stand still as you’re checked out by the locals? I experienced exactly this cliché on Friday night at the Borough Arms in Malmesbury, Wiltshire. The six people scattered around the small room all turned to face the outsider and I was left with the classic cough-and-leave or confidently-buy-a-pint dilemma. In a perverse kind of way, I found it all amusing, so I just carried right on, ordered a John Smith’s and took a seat.
Thankfully, the pub filled out a bit later and I took my chance to challenge the regulars to a few friendly games of pool. I even coaxed a few half-conversations out of them and chuckled along with their banter. It was only as we were about to be kicked out at closing time that one of them sidled up and uttered the immortal line, "So who are you then?" I had to laugh. "We’re a friendly pub, but no-one’s spoken to you much," he said, berating his mate sat next to me at the bar. To be honest, it didn’t bother me that much — I’m not a big fan of smalltalk anyway. Maybe I was the perfect outsider — inoffensive, friendly enough... but generally quiet. :)
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