“Mom, do they have cheese in England? And how about electricity – do they have that?”
I heard this question as I made his sandwich for his school lunch that day and my hand froze mid-air above the bread, still holding a knife bearing large quantities of peanut butter.
“Did you just ask me if they have CHEESE in England, Danny?”
“And electricity. Do they?”
Thus, from this question, sprang my realization that I seriously must take my child to see the cheese and electricity in England.
I began to tell him little facts each morning at breakfast:
~ the phone numbers contain six digits, not seven
~ the sun doesn’t set until after 10:00 p.m. in the summer
~ it’s high treason to harass a swan (even if one attacks you for no reason. Which is highly probable. Because that’s just how they roll)
~ telephones ring twice in short succession, followed by a pause
~ UK mail boxes are red cylinders
This last revelation made him drop his spoon into his cereal bowl.
“How can that BE? Mailboxes are supposed to be blue and rectangular. I just don’t believe it.”
This photograph is of the first post box we encountered, found nestled in a lovely little enclave of London called “Victoria Square” (where I shall buy a flat when I win the lottery). He grabbed my hand and squeezed, then ran over and inspected every inch of the aging red metal box, still inscribed with “GR” from George VI’s reign (apparently Elizabeth’s staff overlooked this one after she took the throne).
“You were RIGHT mom – they are red! And round!” he declared as he wrapped his arms around me. It seemed that this singular discovery was more impressive than electricity and cheese, combined.
“Radcliffe Camera” is part of the twelve month art calendar, “To London and Oxford We Go.”