The theory behind lunch times… Do we have them, or do we not. What do we do?

You do the morning, making bits and bobs for clients, ensuring that they are all as they should be, making alterations where necessary. It's brain work that means the body does what we need it to. At half time, like most, we stop and have a bit of lunch.

A little detail on lunch. Our cooking facilities can be described precisely with two words: Microwave. Kettle. Then the daily question.

‘Do you have lunch?’

The answer is yes or no. If I have been organised enough it's a yes. A sandwich has come with me that morning, or perhaps a tupperware of leftovers that can make friends with the microwave. I can stop and eat there and then. 

Devoran curiously has no village shop within its soft folds. It surprises me, feeling that its residents would relish such an amenity. Local produce: jams, eggs, flowers cultivated in a nearby garden, tea, home made sausage roll and other tasty hot delights. All finished off with the obligatory bag of crisps. But no shop.  In a way, the retail void is such a rare thing, it’s part of the place's identity.

So if the answer is no, that's a trip to the Spar shop at Carnon Downs, the next village. Sounds a bit brash. Too far to walk there and back in an hour, and so into the car. Down the hill, past the pub, next to the water, roundabout, bypass , slip road, one way system, take a left and try your best to park. It's busy here. Always busy, and another kind of surprise.

Spar is a well known franchise, and my experience from one to the next is generally comparable, especially in the narratives customers and staff act out. A conversational dance that includes just enough pleasantries to not be rude, but not too many for fear of damaging the efficiency of its economic aspect. Staff throughout its franchise dutifully roll this out to the customer as they approach the counter, and the customer generally follows suit.

However, it's different here. There are friendly faces behind the counter. Approximately 50 -70 yrs of age, and chirpy. I can’t know this for sure, but it really seems like they have enjoyed waking up this morning, and as breakfast was eaten, looked forward to their shift at Spar. They are so keen for a chat, and why not. Customers will walk in, all pretty happy too, enjoying the rhythms of Kerrier Districts estuaries, hills and forests. No great hurry here.

And so one day I found myself there, buying something or other. The queue was 5 deep, including the 2 people being served. Its speed was glacial, and would ordinarily be unacceptable, but here it seemed right. Each exchange came with an enthusiastic conversation, not about the great British topic that is the weather, and neither something politically current. Instead, something honest and real came into play. Chat bubbled over unapologetically in front of the next person in line. And when finished, a smile, a wave and see you again. And so it went on.

Observing these chats, (not waiting) I reflected upon Devoran’s Commercial void. On either side of the till there was absolutely no sense of commercial urgency. And I thought, this is rare, and this should be appreciated. A kind of oasis that can be missed if you don’t pay attention.