Fabienne greeted me with a smile. Opposite the school in the small town of Mamers, she knew her market. Alcohol free cocktails, music channel on the large screen, pinball machine at the back. Smart decor. The lunchtime rush had come and gone. That left just me. I ordered a cheeseburger. It had been a damp day. ’Avec frites?’ she guessed. I nodded.
She continued cleaning whilst I ate. The place was spotless. A little later she brought me the visitors book and indicated that I add something. There were a few entries, and some press cuttings of the opening of the ’Loft Cafe’. She had the same beaming smile in the photographs that had welcomed me earlier.
I made a brief entry – ’Je m’appelle Ken Roberts. Je fait le tour du monde a velo. Le repas dans ’Loft Cafe’ etait delicieux’ (My name is Ken Roberts. I am cycling around the world. The meal in the ’Loft Cafe’ was delicious). She looked pleased. I thanked her again for her hospitality and left.
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