I worked in the city on Thursday. Our neighbors were selling tea and baked goodies at a little church-like building in York, and wanting to support them we ventured in. Luke and Tyler continued on to the Museum Gardens to fully enjoy the sunshine and I did a bit of study hopping…starting at Pret a Manger (where I enjoyed a free cappuccino, yay for freebies!) and then went back to the little church for a very economical cup of tea for a good cause (they were raising money for their Scouts group). However, I couldn’t help but notice the decorative structure in the corner of this cozy building with two people lying down, hands folded in prayer. The plaque above them states:
“Here Lyey True portraitures of Robert Watter Knighte Alderma. Twise Lord Maior of this cittie. A father to y poore a friend to y comminaltie of this cittie. A good benefactor of this church. Who died May 20 1612 and of his wife Margarete. Who died March 30 1608.”
There appeared to be a grave beneath the horizontal statues, which to be honest, weirded me out a little bit. There we were, a bunch of people eager for an afternoon tea or coffee, sitting at tables and chairs, chatting, working or taking a moment to be calm, in the presence of a grave with two people’s remains deep inside. I don’t know. For me, it is a bit odd, which is why I sat on the opposite side of the room as far away as possible. I mean, I know they are secured in lots of cement and other such materials, and I’ve had peaceful moments in cemeteries and really enjoyed Westminster Abbey when we toured it years ago, but drinking my tea near a grave in a church converted into a café-like atmosphere is a new experience.
I was trying to imagine how this situation might look in a Starbucks, and the image that comes to mind is something out of a Saturday Night Live spoof or Candid Camera. A big coffin centered in the middle of a collection of tables and comfy chairs. Maybe it would even hold a display for the latest book or products…hmmm…
But, who’s complaining? The tea was quite satisfying and the price a true bargain. The experience definitely stretched me beyond my comfort levels. And as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” So while I may not have been in a situation constituting “hot water” I like to think sharing my study space with a couple of people that have been dead several hundred years one that is making me stronger…even if that only means a stronger, more dedicated tea drinker.
