Thank you Terry for this story about something I love also--cafes! The descriptions are marvelous and the situations somewhat familiar to me and you're so right about the atmospheres in some places. I've missed reading you for awhile because life has gotten really crazy, especially here in the o'l USA where we're all going nuts. But also just daily life in my own tiny world. Anyway as always I enjoyed the very witty details concerning people and places and things you always deliver. And yes I also love the "I'm starting to lose the will to live" line!
Thanks, Susan. Hope all is ok with you. I understand: things are insane here as well, and in my own life!
Glad you can relate!
Yes, that line was hilarious at the time as well. It really is interminable, or at least it used to be. I haven't bothered attending for years; maybe they've shortened it a bit!
The donut place deserved to fail. Why did they insist on spelling the word donut correctly, in England of all places, where they should have known it would not be appreciated. I also question your right to use the word café, when all that is ever served there in your parts is tea. Teafé maybe. Joking aside Terry, I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Lol. I think you may be correct, Ehud. Thanks for kind words. How did you happen up in it, just out of interest? I published it ages ago. Was it through the @books that made us sure by @m.e.Rothwell?
I am glad Rebecca pointed me in the direction of this post. I should dig around in the archive more! I am sure there is much more treasure to be found.
Why thank you, Sharron. Of course, I like to think of ALL my essays as treasure, but I may be slightly biased. You might like Dear Mr Dale. When I sent it to a magazine, it made the editor cry. I didn't think it was that bad myself, but still: https://terryfreedman.substack.com/p/dear-mr-dale
I've thought about doing a cafe post as I love them so much! You have inspired me even more. The use of dialogue to capture your cafe moments is wonderful!
Brilliant, Terry, I loved every word. You have such a charming and witty way of writing. I wanted to leave my computer but couldn't stop reading! (Oh, and the waiter looks like someone i know! 😂 That was the cherry on top!).
So hard to find the perfect cafe...when you do, don't let go! Agree completely and it's the first thing I search for when inhabiting a place for a week or for years
In regards to The Terminus Cafe being gone, I have a running list of all the places I have shopped in, eaten in, and gone into, that have been replaced by something else. Then if the place that replaced it goes out of business, I have the new store listed. I check every so often on Google Maps. I think this might be an interesting topic to talk about on my Substack.
I know how you feel about the crowds. Like I said recently, I like it for Christmas shopping but I don’t like it all the time. A nice quiet outing fits me anytime. Sometimes there are a lot of people in a store I’m in, and I say “Let’s hurry and get outta here.”
Thanks, Matt. Keeping a running list is, I have to say, one of the most extreme nerdish things I have ever heard! I tip my hat to you, Sir! Definitely a great topic for an article: I look forward to reading it. 🤣
Such great stories, Terry. You still have the ears, right?
I prefer to withdraw from rather than engage with noise and people, and for this reason your last six lines have really resonated with me. I'm saving this post so I can keep them to reflect on!
Thanks, Rebecca. I'm the same, as you may have gathered. :-) I wanted to make the post bittersweet, a mixture of pathos and humour. Hope I achieved that.
Thank you Terry for this story about something I love also--cafes! The descriptions are marvelous and the situations somewhat familiar to me and you're so right about the atmospheres in some places. I've missed reading you for awhile because life has gotten really crazy, especially here in the o'l USA where we're all going nuts. But also just daily life in my own tiny world. Anyway as always I enjoyed the very witty details concerning people and places and things you always deliver. And yes I also love the "I'm starting to lose the will to live" line!
Thanks, Susan. Hope all is ok with you. I understand: things are insane here as well, and in my own life!
Glad you can relate!
Yes, that line was hilarious at the time as well. It really is interminable, or at least it used to be. I haven't bothered attending for years; maybe they've shortened it a bit!
Does this go on for much longer? I’m starting to lose the will to live!” that's fall out hilarious!
The conversation about the Spock ears proprieter is so 'matter of fact'! And the discovery of ears in the briefcase--too funny, Terry!
🤣🤣 thanks, Just😃
The donut place deserved to fail. Why did they insist on spelling the word donut correctly, in England of all places, where they should have known it would not be appreciated. I also question your right to use the word café, when all that is ever served there in your parts is tea. Teafé maybe. Joking aside Terry, I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Lol. I think you may be correct, Ehud. Thanks for kind words. How did you happen up in it, just out of interest? I published it ages ago. Was it through the @books that made us sure by @m.e.Rothwell?
@books.
Thanks, Ehud 😁
I am glad Rebecca pointed me in the direction of this post. I should dig around in the archive more! I am sure there is much more treasure to be found.
Why thank you, Sharron. Of course, I like to think of ALL my essays as treasure, but I may be slightly biased. You might like Dear Mr Dale. When I sent it to a magazine, it made the editor cry. I didn't think it was that bad myself, but still: https://terryfreedman.substack.com/p/dear-mr-dale
I've thought about doing a cafe post as I love them so much! You have inspired me even more. The use of dialogue to capture your cafe moments is wonderful!
Oh thank you, Kathleen. I look forward to reading yours!
Brilliant, Terry, I loved every word. You have such a charming and witty way of writing. I wanted to leave my computer but couldn't stop reading! (Oh, and the waiter looks like someone i know! 😂 That was the cherry on top!).
Lol. Thank you so much, No 😁
Good cafes are precious. Most aren't good at all and the rest try too hard and end up only being the look of a good cafe rather than its spirit.
So hard to find the perfect cafe...when you do, don't let go! Agree completely and it's the first thing I search for when inhabiting a place for a week or for years
You are dead right. Some cafes look nice but are, somehow, lifeless
I adored this piece, Terry. And I'm very much enjoying your drawings lately!
Thanks, Renee. My drawings are not in the same league as yours, so that is a compliment indeed.
I appreciate the freshness of the drawings. Line drawings are wonderful!
Thank you. See if you still say that when you've looked at my drawing for Aurora and Terry! Chortle.
Great stories Terry!
Funny about the ears. 🤣
In regards to The Terminus Cafe being gone, I have a running list of all the places I have shopped in, eaten in, and gone into, that have been replaced by something else. Then if the place that replaced it goes out of business, I have the new store listed. I check every so often on Google Maps. I think this might be an interesting topic to talk about on my Substack.
I know how you feel about the crowds. Like I said recently, I like it for Christmas shopping but I don’t like it all the time. A nice quiet outing fits me anytime. Sometimes there are a lot of people in a store I’m in, and I say “Let’s hurry and get outta here.”
Thanks, Matt. Keeping a running list is, I have to say, one of the most extreme nerdish things I have ever heard! I tip my hat to you, Sir! Definitely a great topic for an article: I look forward to reading it. 🤣
May I ask, is the voiceover AI? (Loved this story, by the way.)
Thanks, Jody. Do you mean the voiceover I inserted into a previous post? That was AI, yes. I thought it sounded quite realistic, no?
Such great stories, Terry. You still have the ears, right?
I prefer to withdraw from rather than engage with noise and people, and for this reason your last six lines have really resonated with me. I'm saving this post so I can keep them to reflect on!
Thanks, Rebecca. I'm the same, as you may have gathered. :-) I wanted to make the post bittersweet, a mixture of pathos and humour. Hope I achieved that.
The ears are definitely here somewhere!