The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-01-19
Little Blitz Relief


he author, from troubled notes in tubes and queues
In rather dingy street on the outskirts
OF that part of London known as 'West
One resides still more dingy shop a
little one, which upon my more or less
lawful occasions have frequently to pass.
Why my interest and head turn in it's
direction it is hard to explain. Its Just a
little greengrocers shop-and fruiterer's
too-If one goes by the rather faded de-
scrlptlon on the facia over the front door,
Included is the name of the proprietor
name that somehow brings to mind a vii
lage somewhere in France
The window, or rather the hole where
the glass originally stood before the bomb
came, is covered with awide-mesh frame
and is tumbled Unfortunately with I'M
tidy piles of fruit and vegetables upon
which the owner appears to rely getting
rid of more by personal craftsmanship than
clever display.
"Owner" himself, likeable fellow, is
tall slim and past the fifties, bent in figure
and with close silvGr-gr hair and friend
ly brown eyeS;-and always seems to be
on duty.
His clientele consists mostly of middle
aged matrons, generally hatless and
equipped always with marketing bags, and
from some dark recess at the back of the
shop mechanically produce owner by
reason of their footballs upon the bare
boards. Neither counter nor seating &C
commodation appear to be necessary as
business is conducted standing up, and as
for the money-till, "owner's'' pockets ap-
pear to be ample.
He may have, and probably has, been
very early to market purchasing his wares
for the day, but the real business, the
mountaineering part, starts with the very
first customer who is greeted, always,
with broad and benevolent smile; the
small order memorized; and then the in
evitable intimate and chatty conversation
commences, serious, important and i'm
perative-the colonel of the business of the
day, and not to end until customer num-
Der two arrives The latter may or may
not join issue but is positively certain in
her turn, to keep up the good work.
Come all who may they seem agreed
that the distribution of greenstuff is of
secondary importance to the CHEEKY inter-
change of condolences; and all and one
take their departure with a bemused and
satisfied smile.
Has "owner' for each client secret
and subtle joke, or is it merely that they
experience some Inward happiness by rea-
son of the friendly atmosphere he spreads
all around, as with a scent spray?
At some underlined hour in the slack of
the afternoon, an interesting hand-barrow
all day waiting az the curb-but at night
securely tucked up under the caves of the
shops carefully loaded and balanced
with sacks of potatoes, topped up with
small orders of cabbage, celery, or other
small fry according to order or season.
The shop is locked up and owner bends
over the barrow and disappears for an
indefinite number of hours, doubtless call
ing upon the more favored customers or
completing the orders of those who we're
too encountered with the mornings shop
ping.
But the little business is not closed, it
opens again later in the day-business
hours seemingly dependent solely upon
daylight and the 'black-out'
On Sundays besides the little shop is
opened up so that Owner may not dis
appoint such housewives as have over
looked some little item overnight, conf
IDENTIFY relying that he would not let them
down.
Perhaps in consequence owner has
missed church service or mass Gas the
case might be- but somehow one feels he
is none the worse for the omission, and
who knows but those little friendly chats
may each have held a prayer, understood
only above.
And when the hour arrives that the little
shop must close for the last time, I trust
"owner' will go straightway to his last,
and peaceful, rest, as I am sure he would
be unhappy to live on, parted from his
friends land his little shop.