The mystery of the invisible shop

Photo: Pixabay: Graphic Mama

At least once a week a random customer will come in and ask me if this is a new shop. Not so strange, you may think. Except this has been happening for almost five years. The conversation often goes something like this:

“Are you new here? You must be new here.”

“Not really. We’ve been here for almost five years now.”

“No. That can’t be right.”

“Er, well yes, we have.”

“You weren’t here the last time I was in town.”

“When was that?”

“A few months ago.”

“Um, yes. We definitely were.”

“Oh. But I haven’t seen you before.”

“You haven’t? OK….. Well... er.... I’m sorry about that, but we were definitely here then”

Sounding most put-out: “Oh.”

Awkward pause……and we’re off again:

 “Were you the shop that sold mobile phones?”

“No…….”

“Cheap batteries?”

“No.......We sell ladies clothing and accessories.”

“Are you sure?”

“Quite sure.....”

Of course, The Out Of Favour shop would stick in peoples’ minds a lot more if there was, or had ever been, a name fixed to the outside of the shop, but that’s another story.... (29^th July post: ‘What’s in a name? What name?’ to be exact).