Coventry Street

Time to lighten it up a little bit. I'm going to tell you a little story.

I studied abroad one summer at the University of Cambridge, and as part of that trip, Nathan and I toured around Scotland and England a bit.

For a couple of days, we stayed at a little bed and breakfast in a small English town. After touring around one afternoon, we headed back towards our B&B. We walked for a long while, knowing we were close to our B&B, but we just could not find the right street. So after meandering around a neighborhood for quite some time, we stopped an old man and asked him how to get back to Coventry Street.

"Coventry Street? Hmm. I don't know. Are you sure that's the name of the street you want?"
"Yes, sir. That's where our bed & breakfast is."
Scratching his chin, "Well I don't know. What street did you say it's on again?"
"Coventry Street."
"And you're sure about that?"
"Yes, sir, I'm absolutely sure."

This back-and-forth went on for several minutes. By this time, I was getting a little desperate. It was getting dark, and we didn't want to be lost after sunset. Plus, I was certain that the B&B was located on Coventry. Why in the world did this man say he didn't know of a Coventry Street? This town was not that big, and I knew we were close to it! Eventually, he said,

"Well I've lived here for forty years, and I don't know of a Coventry Street."

Dangit.

"I am just absolutely sure it is on Coventry Street."
"Oh! By any chance, do you mean Coventry Road?"

Our jaws dropped.

"Yes! Coventry Road!"
"Oh, yes, of course. I am going there right now, on my way to the pub. You can walk with me."

Oh, the Brits. Gotta love 'em.