There’s really only one subject for Day 99 of the End to End in 2019 and that’s the cafe at the end of the universe. After a lovely, but hot, walk along the Great Glen Way, through some forested bits strewn with large orange fungi called Birch Boletos, I eventually came to it.
It had been signposted from some distance away with cheery home made signs announcing the various possible consumable items from the menu. As it got hotter and the cafe got nearer I became more determined to reach it. Eventually I came to the last sign post which indicated a turn off the main path into the woodland. Now anyone who has done any kind of walk knows to beware of signs like this, after all it could be miles away.
I risked it. I met a couple coming back towards me and asked about the cafe; was it really this way and was it far? They gave the necessary assurances and I continued to an archway, a rather odd collection of hand made furniture and a lot of chickens. I had arrived at the cafe at the end of the universe.
I sank down on a bench and was soon served by the proprietor: a cold drink and cake were ordered. When they arrived my photo was taken for the Facebook archive and I tucked into the feast. Meanwhile, Bob was coming back in the other direction and was soon enjoying his own cool drink along side me. He later said, he wasn’t sure he was ever going to persuade me to leave.
And that’s the thing about the cafe at the end of the universe, which was actually in their back garden: no one wants to leave, ever.
From the remembered gospel: Jesus said, ‘I’m coming to your house for tea’.
Of all the references to sharing food in the gospel, this one is the most homely.
Welcoming One, how wonderful it is to share food together in any part of the universe.
As the lock down eases, we look forward to the sharing days and the celebrating ways,
remembering, retelling and rejoicing, in the kindom cafe at the end of the universe.
JAL: 25.07.2020 In Longdendale (and sadly not in Canterbury as originally planned).