Overheard at Chipperfield's ... Part XIX ...

It was early in the morning and Ross walked in the door, he glanced at the table full of regulars, nodded and said nothing.

"Morning Ross," one of the regulars offered.

Ross didn't reply. Instead he stepped up to the counter and spoke to Joanie; "un café por favor."

"Certainly sir," answered Joanie as she poured Ross a coffee, "would you like a muffin or something to go with that?"

Ross looked puzzled, "Estoy apesadumbrado que no hablo inglés."

Ross then placed a handful of Mexican coins on the counter and left the store ...

"What's up with Ross?" asked one of the regulars, "I don't know much Spanish, but I know enough to know he ordered his coffee and told you doesn't speak English in Spanish ..."

"He's on a Stay-cation," answered Bonnie walking out of the back room.

"A what?" asked the regular.

"A stay-cation," answered Bonnie shaking her head, "he was watching Corner Gas the other night and thought that Brent having a Stay-cation in Dog River was a great idea, especially now that he is so busy with work and travelling all over West Man and Saskatchewan."

"What the heck is a Stay-cation?" asked the regular, still not catching the drift.

"Well," answered Bonnie as she stood by the table, "it is when you go on a vacation in your head ..."

One of the regulars interupted her, "Isn't that what Ross does ALL the time?"

Everyone laughed, as Bonnie continued with a broad smile on her face, "There are days I wonder about that ... But, a Stay-cation is when you imagine you're somewhere else, and you enjoy being somewhere like Cancun or Acapoulco, or somewhere like that ..."

"Where's Ross today?" asked on of the regulars.

"The post card I got yesterday from him said he was heading to Cuba," said Bonnie.

"Did he "drive" there?" asked the regular making quotation marks above his head for emphasis, "Doesn't he know that Cuba is an island?"

"We never said Stay-cations were entirely realistic," answered Bonnie, "the Post Cards he leaves on the kitchen table tell me about the beautiful scenery he's been taking in while he's driving around ..."

"Does he talk to his clients in Spanish?" asked on the regulars.

"I don't even want to know," answered Bonnie shaking her head, "He seems to be happy in his little stay-cation world, and he's due to arrive back the day after tomorrow, so you can ask him then ..."

"Hmm," snorted one of the regulars, "sounds a little warped to me ..."

"Hey, it is Ross we're talking about," offered another regular.

"True enough," replied the first.

"The only thing I know," said Bonnie, as she turned to go back to her office, "is that it has been very quiet around the house lately. Ross keeps picking up frozen Mexican entrees for supper and isn't talking to me when he is in the house ..."

"Maybe you could send him on Stay-cations regularly," offered the first regular with a laugh.

"Oh the thought HAS crossed my mind, believe me ..."

With that Bonnie disappeared into the back, and the regulars quietly discussed Ross' stay-cation ... Joanie served another customer ...

Just an average day at Chipperfields ...