Odd Encounters, Christmas Edition

[gothwalk]

So I went looking for plain, ordinary ribbon for present wrapping today. The good newsagents/stationers/bookshop in Ranelagh was sold out, and none of the other shops around had any, so I went hunting down Camden Street. In the second small shop, I asked at the counter, rather than waste time looking around the place. They had none, but there was an elderly man in there who was also looking for ribbon. He leaned on the counter and addressed the rather bemused shop dude with "Do you, perhaps, have brown paper and string? I understand that with those, we could do something... retro." They only had string, though, so he tapped the floor with his walking stick, and addressed me instead. "I know a place where they will have ribbon, young man. We shall go to the ancient and noble house of Dunne."

So we trotted all the way down Camden Street, Wexford Street, Aungier Street, and South Great George's Street to Dunnes Stores. On the way, he poked people with his walking stick to move them out of the way, and told me that this year he was not getting any presents for any of his children and grandchildren that was invented "after the outbreak of hostilities in 1939." This had involved ordering a genuine working steam powered miniature locomotive engine from Hungary for one grandson.

We found good ribbon at half price in Dunnes, and at the door he wished me and all of mine a Happy Christmas, before striding on down the street.

Comments

[maida-mac.livejournal.com]

The Wizard of Duke Street strikes again! That's an awesome story and I imagine that I would enjoy a chat with that particular gentleman.