Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
'And I can't easily get a job because when you are working, you could be away at any time
and I won't find something that flexible where we are.'
We sat pondering this for a few minutes before the waitress brought us our starters; all
freshly cooked, piping hot, wonderfully tasty spring rolls, wontons, soups, toasts, seaweed,
the works. Hmm, I thought, I may have a problem here.
'So ideally,' I said, taking a break from the food to get my breath back, 'we need something
we can do from home.'
'Like a gîte?' ventured Natalie tentatively, knowing what my reaction would be.
'No way!' I spluttered, 'Come on, we moved here to get away from people! I'm not doing a
gîte!'
'It's just an option that's all. If our aim is to work from home and for you to be at home, it
ticks all the boxes.'
I sat sulkily back in my chair as the waitress approached to clear our half-empty plates, she
tutted at mine. Wherever I go it seems restaurant staff feel they have a right to judge me. One
of the first times I went out for a meal in France with Natalie's family I ordered a steak to be
'well done' and the chef came running out of the kitchen, tears in his eyes and told me off. He
practically begged me to change my order claiming that he couldn't serve 'leather as food.'
'OK, so not a gîte. Fine. What do you have in mind then?'
We threw ideas around for a while - buy a shop in town, open a dog kennels (not my idea),
a
crêperie
, goat farming - each one slightly more bizarre than the one preceding it.
The waitress returned with our main courses which didn't all fit on the table, forcing her to
move another table next to us, and as she did so she looked at me as if to say 'I told you so!'
'Bon appétit!'
she said sceptically.
'Why don't we both do a TEFL course and teach from home?' I suggested. I had actually
mooted this idea with my friend Paul one night in London, proposing it as a way forward for
Natalie and me. He had laughed himself silly. 'You? A teacher?' And then he was off again.
'You?' said Natalie, barely able to control herself. 'A teacher? You nearly disowned Samuel
when you taught him how to ride a bike. No. You haven't got the patience…'
'Oh, that's absolute boll—'
The waitress glided over to us. 'Everything OK?' she said, meaning our food presumably
and not our relationship.
'Lovely. Really lovely.' We said together, still piles of the stuff in front of us.
Pleased with the answer she sat on a table behind us and opened a huge box of Ferrero
Rocher, which she proceeded to munch through as we continued to eat our meal. It was quite
intimidating actually and as we got half way through our main course we simply couldn't eat
any more. I got up to go to the toilet and heard her say to Natalie, 'So he doesn't like the wine
either, eh?' and pointing at my full glass.
