Joined up writing

I was with friends at an outdoor café.

Sunshine meant a busy day and as I queued with Carol, a young waitress came out and wrote on the chalk board,

'No more soup.  Sorry for the inconveniance.'

She stood back, and surveyed her handiwork: 'That’s not right is it?'

'It’s an 'e',' offered a helpful bystander.

She rewrote it

'…inconveneance' her hand trailed off- she knew it still wasn’t right.

Other people in the queue began to voice their opinions. She started again, but in the face of contradictory advice, she soon froze, unable to proceed.

By this time the queue had advanced and I was right next to her. If a teacher has one super-power, then it is to write things clearly on boards.

'Would you like me to…?'

Gratefully she handed me the chalk.  I used my best teacher hand-writing to complete the notice and, resisting the urge to bow, passed on happily to order my food at the hatch.

'Well done,' said Carol, 'Inconvenience is a tricky one.'

I didn’t need soup to warm me, I had the smug glow of the accurate speller. 

But when we joined the others with our sandwiches, Diane nudged me to look back at the board. 

The young woman was painstakingly rewriting my inscription in an adult hand with loops and flourishes. 

'Alright – so I can spell – I just can’t do joined up writing.'