In case you need help …

Lunch break at our Charity Shop. A second-hand boutique for clothing and fashion accessories. It is usually relatively quiet at this time of day. And despite the air conditioning running, it is warm, almost muggy in the shop. Which also has to do with the face mask that we (volunteers as well as customers) have to wear inside the premises. Outside it is still around 30 degrees. We are enjoying an endless summer here in the Algarve this year.

I decide to take a short break (which is the exception rather than the rule) and sit down on a chair near the counter when a regular Portuguese customer enters the shop. Tiago says a friendly hello and is on his way towards menswear as usual. He is estimated to be in his early/mid fifties and is described by all female volunteers as a "handsome man". And we regularly have a little chat.

Today I say to him, in Portuguese: "Preciso de relaxar um pouco" (I have to relax a little ... )

And he answers, in passing, as if by chance, "In case you need help ...". (Se precisa de ajuda ... )

After a short moment of shock I start smiling. It's an answer I would not have expected from Tiago in this way, but which I admittedly like.

Sometimes I really love our charity shop, because we learn: even with a face mask a little flirt and a nice grin are still possible.

From time to time I hear the remark from ladies of my age (50Plus) that they feel "invisible", referring to a lack of attention from the male part of the population.

Well, at least TODAY I could not confirm this experience 😉

Let's use our lives to create wonderful memories. Which in turn become nice little stories.

Boa noite, bons sonhos. Good night and sweet dreams to all readers!

© Solandra (September 15th, 2020)

Translated with the help of DeepL

Proofread by the author 

Photo by Nojan Namdar on Unsplash