Vocal Voices

A little background.

S has lived here for 22 years, is fluent in Portuguese and is tolerated by most people. She scrounges where she can, never buys a drink and never says thank you. She used to get tick at the bar, no longer though and expects people to help her out, as she's not in a job, gets the pittance that is social security over here, but is still able to have a car, a horse, various cats and dogs, smokes and drinks.

She's the one who "helped" me out when I had to have a scan. She also will come and sit with you at the bar, whether you want her to or not.

Yesterday, Grumpy, myself and Antonia were having a chat at one of the tables outside the bar. The other was also occupied, by a family of Portuguese and Dimas. So she comes over and says "I'll come and join you".

Antonia, very nicely, asked her not to, as we were having a private conversation. She went and sat at the other table informing everyone - very loudly (she can't do quiet) that she wasn't welcome with the other foreigners and would sit with them. They promptly left She forgets that Antonia is also fluent in Portuguese and we understand far more than she thinks.

So there she is, Annie no mates.

As Antonia left, S said, rather loudly, well, you can fxxx off.

And then said the same to us, as we were in the bar, paying.

So the end of what could have been a lovely friendship. She's done herself no favours whatsoever, as Antonia is well liked and respected in the area. And I would like to think we are too, even though we haven't been here long.

I was joking the other day, that we should ring the bar before we go down, to see if S is there or not - she was really getting on our nerves.

Hey ho, that's life and that's also why we don't get too involved with the local English, they're forever falling out with each other

Ho dear ton I'm easy going but I can explode and I would have told her exactly how I felt about her she must be very thick skinned hopefully she will get the message have a hug

Oh dear, she'll soon run out of people to speak to if she carries on like that

She speak at you, rather than to you

I've just deleted her from my friends on fb and on my phone

She sounds absolutely awful Ton.

There's no figuring some people out, they plough their own furrow......

Bridges well and truly burnt, once you get to the level of FO.

Not exactly a good idea in such a closely-knit community as yours, Ton ....

Seems you've made the right decision Ton!

And I bet she'll be back at the bar wanting to join in as before and not realise that she's actually not really welcome. She probably will think that YOU are all overreacting

Antonia and Pieter arrived at the bar this afternoon, with a friend who will be here for 3 weeks. Cue another duck and rice evening and our friends Alan and Nina are also coming up

So we told them what had happened and they all said - good and good riddance. Dimas will be told and as he's very local and a lovely bloke, uncle of our mayor even , thinks the world of Antonia and her husband, so the word will be out

Ria, when you come over, I'm not sure if you want that dinner or not - if you do, let me know and Dimas will sort out the necessary duck