BY JOELLEN COLLINS
As travelers may know, breakfast at a B and B is usually a highlight of visiting a new environment. I have been fortunate to share this meal in places as different as the Isle of Skye, Scotland, and Sienna, Italy, but nothing compares to the delicious fare provided by the proprietress of a guest house in San Francisco. I have visited there many times since I acquired grandchildren in that city and find its location perfect for a grandma who doesn’t need to be privy 24 hours a day to all the activities of my growing family.
While the house is gorgeous and the owners so magnanimous that I feel as if I am coming home every time I stay there, the proof is really in the pudding (my first cliché today). The breakfasts are enticing, featuring a variety of servings of buttermilk pancakes, home-baked treats, quiche, spicy Mexican fare and the finest fresh fruit, bread, cereals and exquisite smoothies or yogurt. Since I am lactose intolerant, my hosts always provide options for me and stock their refrigerator with items I can substitute. The choices change from day to day, leaving their guests fully satisfied.
However, a profound attraction other than the hosts and the food is the company I get to sit with during these gourmet breakfasts. Recently, I was joined by some visitors who were consistently friendly, intelligent, and eager to share their travels, lives and experiences. During a week where there were guests from Pittsburg, Norway, West Los Angeles and Pasadena, California, the exchange of friendly chitchat was as fulfilling as the food.
Coincidentally, for two days, the three women at the table possessed the same first name or nickname, “Jo.” I often shorten my moniker to Jo and a lovely young journalist’s proper name is Joyce, but she is called Joy or Jo by many, and the third is a woman whose name is Ellie Jo, but she is known as Jo. Little Women inspired us to appreciate this label. In addition, the three of us had been teachers and could share some notable experiences and opinions as educators in this changing world.
During our long second cups of tea or coffee, we had the kind of connections and discussions that I miss as one who lives alone. No conversation was hostile, no subjects limited by politics or religious views. Instead, we simply enjoyed the camaraderie and stimulation of open-minded people gathering together to enjoy a meal. I propose that this kind of small group activity would be a good way for strangers to relax and recall the joys of being with others outside of our own usual company. It’s a positive way to find new friends or even accept people with whom we might disagree.
There’s a reason that coffee houses attract so many, offering a chance to meet with known acquaintances. If I were in charge, I’d have small gatherings of UNKNOWN people. Maybe we’d learn to practice acceptance instead of divisiveness.