Long time coming

4 hours.

4 (yes FOUR) hours

That is how long Mr Boring sat in the shop and talked at me yesterday.

This chap came in, and had a little look around the shop. Pleasant enough, but was interested in things which weren't really grabbing me - and was telling me about them at great length

(Imagine a slightly nasal accent and slow voice) "Yeas, of course the velocity of the SP54 a type engine was considerably greater than the SP53 but it did suffer from a distinct lack of power on the upward rail stretches on the West Coast Line which I would venture to suggest limited its value to the GWR - wouldn't you agree"

Having looked around, he didn't actually decide to buy anything, but just parked himself in the chair in the front room, and talked at (yes at) me from 10.20 am until 2.18pm.

He gave me false hope by announcing that he had to go several times, but they never amounted to anything.. he just kept going on and on and on and on and on and on.

Fortunately I was able to tune him out, and so I continued to process orders and place books online. At one point he asked me if I minded him wittering on to me, and I replied, No, as long as he didn't mind me ignoring him. He pointed out that I wasn't ignoring him and we were having a lovely conversation (I think that one was about UFO's being the probable cause of crop circles, although the merits of the electro magnetic variation theory did somewhat attract him) Eventually he left, wishing me a happy week until his return next week

Oh yes - he comes in once a week to the big city on the bus. Whimper whimper sob sob.