Stubble

A short walk. Thanks to an ankle support.

We shared a table in Sizergh Castle cafe with a couple from Barrow-in-Furness. He moved here from Scotland in 73, looking for work. Got a job in the shipyard, met Joan, been here ever since. 
They were shy, especially Joan, both unassuming, friendly, sharing a large piece of National Trust shortbread and a pot of tea. They like to visit the castle and then have a stroll in Grange-over-Sands on the way home. 
Had we seen the seals off Walney Island? (Nature reserve outside Barrow.)
They haven't seen much of Scotland in the last 46 years because if they go north they would offend his sister if they didn't stay with her and spend their time with the family. Though they did once take his dad to Oban and his dad got sunstroke. The woman in the cafe in Oban diagnosed the sunstroke and dosed it with Angostura Bitters. They'd thought dad was going to die. How does a cafe owner in Oban know about sunstroke, we mused?
I suggested they could sneak over the border into Dumfries and Galloway and the relatives would never know. They were gently shocked.
Marks and Spencer is leaving Barrow. They were briefly glum, quiet, they thought Debenhams would go too. Then his cheerful nature returned and they left to visit his favourite pie shop.
I wish I'd asked him about a life spent in such a significant, dying, British industry. 
As they drove out of the car park, she gave me a shy smile and a small wave.