In a small pub in East London, the landlady and her friend are chatty. She has had a busy afternoon. 'I don't like customers', she says before engaging us in a lengthy conversation.
As we are heading outside I decide to ask my question. 'It's not going to be as easy as that', she says shaking her head with folded arms, 'You're going to have to guess'. She tells us there are two but refuses to give any initials. My friend starts with Sarah. Her second guess is correct. I try May as my first choice and then land on the correct name as my second.
'Really?' I ask, taken aback by our perception. 'Swear on my life' she says holding up a cross around her neck. I ask whether the second name is spelt with or without an 'e'. She thinks. 'I don't know', she says, 'Isn't that awful?' Then she adds, as an afterthought, 'I have had three sambuccas'.
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