TRUE STORIES FROM A BED & BREAKFAST HOST. I grew up in a B&B since the age of 4, after 20 plus years of having a constant stream of strangers come through the front door. You pick up a story or two....
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In the early 2000's, an Iranian family came to stay for a week using my home as their base to explore the sights and sounds of the capital. The father and mother were well travelled, successful and the whole family spoke several languages.
The wife was very vibrant and her two children were adorable. The husband was a businessman and was setting up an office in the city, planning to commute between Dubai and London.
It was wonderful to hear stories of their homeland prior to the present government. The way they explained the culture and everyday life captivated me and made me want to experience it for myself.
One of the topics that we discussed in detail was that they loved everything that was modern in England, as everything in their homeland was many years old, had been carefully handed down and would be classed as antique over here.
It was normal for them to have belongings that were over 100 years old - furniture, kitchen utensils etc. They said that many people lived to a fine old age because of the simplicity of their life and food, and lack of stress as we know it today in the digital age. Life was slower and dictated very much by village life, food and the seasons.
They would spend the day sightseeing and come home late in the evening. The husband used to like talking to Pat, (the handyman) who came most days, except Thursday's. Over the years, he had become more of a father figure to me and a grandfather to my two sons, rather than someone I employed to help around the house.
It was during these chats with Pat that the husband made a proposal for my services in readiness for when he would be returning to London. He sat me down the next day after the boys had gone to school and laid his cards on the table.
I was obviously very annoyed at being discussed like an object and I absolutely lost it when Pat said to me sharply "Sally – you really should consider this offer of being a mistress for £3,000.00, you have bills to pay and you need to educate the boys!"
I started to lay into Pat with some gusto. It was one of only a few occasions over the course of 10 years that this ever happened. To be fair he was only looking out for my best interests but, in this case, he was way off!
Needless to say, I told my rather forward guest in no uncertain terms, that I was most certainly NOT for sale.
