“Let’s moor here for the night,” Amanda smiled.
It felt strangely hedonistic to stop because they felt like stopping, but they were simply enjoying their journey.
“We could do with a few provisions.. Butter at the very least,” Amanda said as they wandered round the old stone and brick buildings of the town centre.
“We’re in the right place,” Jim replied, pointing to a shop front.
“The Buttery,” it said. “Fine foods and wines for discerning palettes.”
“We’ve ruined ours with frying everything,” Amanda laughed.
“That such places as these have not caught up with the latest in gourmet cuisine is hardly our fault,” Jim replied, his absurd fake upper middle class accent sending Amanda further into her giggling, setting him off too.
Inside was a wide selection of expensive treats, a lot of which contained various unspeakable parts of rather unfortunate animals. There was also plenty to attract Amanda’s interest, and she browsed for some time as Jim just soaked up the atmosphere of age and money.

“Can I help you?” The proprietor, who looked like she was running the place as a hobby, asked.
Amanda jumped slightly.
“Well, err, yes,” she stammered. “I’d like a jar of Kalamata olives, and, I think, some green as well, and some capers.”
Jim looked a little puzzled.
“Treats Jim. I’m not being all posh, well not really. The corner shop I worked at. I think the owner was born in the Mediterranean. Well, not in it, she’d have been a fish, but you know what I mean, she introduced me to them. Oh, and cakes.” she added, turning her attention back to the shopping. “We’d like a couple of nice cakes for afternoon tea.”
“And, um, butter,” Jim said.
The effect on Amanda was unintentional. She was giggling again, with eyes watering. She’d also set Jim off, but he faced away pretending to look at whatever was on the shelves before him.
“I’m sorry, I can’t sell you or your sister any alcohol,” the woman said as kindly as she could, mistaking Jim’s posture for concentration on the wines in front of him.
“I think we’re daft enough already,” Amanda replied. “Cakes, olives and capers will do fine. Just a few treats. And,” digging nails into the palm of her hand. “Butter.”
“Did your mother give you a list?” the woman asked politely.
“Well. No, um, I don’t, um.. live,” Amanda faltered.
“You’re a bit old to be playing picnics,” the woman said.
“You’re always too old or too young for something don’t you think,” Jim replied quietly.
“That’s true,” the woman smiled.

As Amanda sorted through her purse for the the right money, her engagement ring sparkled in the light. Seeing it, and the gold wedding band nestling by it, made her smile.
“You’re a bit young to,” the woman stopped short, then continued. “He’s very astute, your.”
“Um..” Amanda faltered again
“Last Saturday,” Jim smiled. “I’m sure I’ll like olives and capers, and the other stuff. Amanda’s usually right about me.”
“That closeness takes a long time,” the woman replied.
“Time’s relative,” Jim said patiently. “Some scientist said, before he decided that being a watchmaker was a safer occupation. I’d like some good coffee. I was shown how to make it when some wonderful people looked after me.”
“Oh,” the woman replied. “What sort do you want?”
“They used a small pan. A briki. The milk pan on Mayfly would do.” Jim smiled at the memory. “It was a long time ago but.”
The woman looked surprised by the revelation.
“It sounds like Greek or Turkish coffee. We have some good beans here if you don’t mind waiting while I grind them,” she replied.
Amanda looked curiously at her husband.
“It was a treat for doing my homework well. I think you’d like it Mand. Sorry if I remembered a bit late,” he smiled briefly.
“It does take time to know someone,” Amanda said softly. “But it’s not so bad finding out.”
“I’ve only done a small bag because it goes off quite quickly.” the shopkeeper said. “You should have the proper cups and pot though,” she added placing couple of dusty looking coffee cups and a small briki on the counter. I’ve had these in stock for too long, and they’re a bit shop soiled. Call them a wedding gift.”
“Well, thanks,” Jim replied, his face warmed by a smile. “And sorry for being daft.”
“If you can’t laugh together at things only you find funny it’s going to be a dull marriage,” the woman smiled. “Come here and laugh at any time.”

“That was a pretty odd a shopping trip,” Amanda said as the two relaxed in the pleasant afternoon warmth enjoying the view down river from the back of the Mayfly.
“We can expect that if we behave like Pinky and Perky,” Jim replied as he sipped the coffee that he’d carefully prepared, its bitter-sweet taste complimenting the cakes that Amanda had chosen.
Jim had remembered with unusual accuracy the way to prepare the brew, and replicated it with an attention to detail that the casual observer might have called obsessive.
“How many times are you going to do that?” Amanda asked, lazily stretching her legs out towards the stern.
“I can brew another if you want,” Jim replied.
“Not what I meant,” she continued. “There was me trying to impress you with exotic treats, and then you do this. I mean, just like a professional. Then there was the honeymoon room, I didn’t see that coming either.”
“Well, technically riverside pubs don’t move, but everything’s relative, so it’s possible that Mayfly at that point was actually stationary in the whole of space, and everything else was moving, in which case I guess the place was coming at us,” Jim smiled.
“So, Jimbo. Why did I just marry a lunatic? Tell me?” Amanda said, trying to avoid yet more giggling.
“Because I make good coffee,” Jim smiled contentedly.
“I didn’t know that then!” Amanda mocked protest.