Went for a lovely spot of drinks and Thai food last night with two lovely girls in Notting Hill.
During the evening, suddenly assaulting the nostrils, was a smell of something stenchful and burning.
"Something's on fire."
'It smells like burning hair....or rubber.'
I tentatively looked at my Wellingtons. Were they on fire?
"No it's more like a hair smell."
Look over to a man, with curly locks, sitting casually next to us reading a paper over his pint.
"Dude, are you on fire?"
'Yes.' He shrugs.
[pause]
'It's my hair. My hair is on fire. I lit it with my candle.' Smiles.
Goes back to reading his paper while people around dart furtively for a fire extinguisher.
And henceforth, the apt example of keep 'Calm And Carry On' British mentality. Everyone panics, but they'll never show it.
So lovely to spend some time with two British ladies who love and embrace the winter here. Instead of the usual bitchin', the one says she's happy to 'go to bed, with a bottle of champagne and a fag.'
Touche.
I shuffled to work this morning on two inches of packed ice, watching people all around me slip and fall everywhere.
Hazardous. But no one will panic.
3 comments:
Gosh, he sounds fabulous! He must be in his element at Bonfire Night :-D!
Hahahaha this story reminds me so much of a book I read, I think it was called "The English". It explains so much. The writer said that if you see a Brit on fire, you should leave him to his fire. It somehow really offends them to point out that they are on fire. They need their space, their privacy, and are actually offended and embarrassed if someone needs to come over and point out something that they should have noticed. This happened to my uncle once. A girl standing next to aradiator caught on fire and my uncle shrieked "your pants are on fire" and the girl was so offended cos the Brits only use the word pants for underpants, that she was actually mad at him for telling her she was on fire.
Brits: leave them to their fires.
Wired Mum - he would've made an excellent Guy Fawkes :)
po - that's hilarious! There's even a chapter on Brits on fire? This is absolutely priceless. And obviously happens enough to warrant it. :)
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