Tea and the Irish Connection.

Fans of Father Ted might be amused by this little snippet of conversation I had with my new neighbour. I went around there a couple of days ago to finish trimming her long back hedge. When I walked through the gate, she said

‘Would you like a cup of tea?’

‘No thanks.’

‘Are you sure? I’m just making one.’

‘No, I’m fine. I’ve just had a cup of coffee.’

‘Sure?’

‘Yes, thanks.’

I weighed up the job and decided I’d need the loppers as well as the hedge trimmer, so I went and fetched them. As I came back through the gate, she said

‘Are you sure you won’t have a cup of tea?’

‘No thanks.’

‘I’m having one.’

‘No, really. I had some coffee literally ten minutes ago.’

‘Oh. OK.’

She looked slightly put out. I did the job and started clearing up the trimmings, at which point she asked me again.

‘Would you have that cup of tea now?’

‘Yes, Mrs Doyle, I’ll have that cup of tea now.’

I didn’t actually call her Mrs Doyle, but I nearly did. And I had the cup of tea. I wonder whether it’s just coincidence that her father was Irish.