So, where are you from?

Asked Nell, the old lady in the diagonally opposite hosipital bed.

I answered; one word, name of town.

‘I meant originally’ she said, barely hiding her disdain.

‘Kent’ I replied, and tried to return to my crossword.

‘No, BEFORE that’ barked a now visibly irritated Nell.

‘Inside my Mum?’ I enquired, putting down my crossword, knowing this wasn’t going to be then end of it.

Nell sighed, annoyed at having to start her line of questioning again.

‘So’ She said, slowing her speech, just to make sure I understood the question. ‘Where.. is.. your.. Mum.. from?’

‘Ilkley.’  I replied. ‘And my Dad is Welsh.’  pre-empting question 5 (out of a possible 20, perhaps?)

Nell looked pleased. ‘Told you she was foreign’ She informed Margaret.

Margeret wasn’t listening. She was trying to remember whether it was 1988 or 1989 (It was neither).

Tags: General Ramblings, OAP's