He's off to the tip so a trip is proposed I'll just nip into town past the roundabout Ship and then whip right past Willis and zip up The Saints where it's happening and hip for some dip and a sip except there's a blip and I might have to skip. Flip.

We settled on a 2:30pm rendezvous before I realised that the new-to-us Sandwich Shop on St Nicholas Street closes at that very time. Oh, and I was deep in a WFH Teams call around 2pm. Dead important work stuff finally over, I made one of those old-fashioned phone calls -- remember those? -- and the nice lady was happy to take my pre-order for two sarnies. I'll be there for half-two-ish, I said. Don't hurry, she said, we'll be cleaning. Good good.

Andy, sweetly smelling despite his waste-related visit, is there first, obvs. Even more typically, he's chatting to another customer who turns out to be Yet Another Contact of his. Boy's like a walking talking Linked In. Far too nice to sit indoors when we can nab the pair of battenberg seats out front. Smiling woman wants reassurance that I didn't hurry down -- my glowing face perhaps gave me away -- and hands over our goodies. We ain't going far.

For some years this was the highly rated St Nicholas Stores. Last year, 2023, Katrina (she serves) and Andy (he bakes) bought the business to establish "the home of the focaccia sandwich". Out in the darn heat, we're sharing (aw!) the Italian -- sausage and mozzarella and pesto -- and a Bean -- roasted veg and white bean and tapenade. Both made with grilled focaccia, they're finger-licking fine and super suited to a sun-drenched street.

Poor decision to pre-purchase our chocolate heavy desserts which are now in a more liquid form inside their paper bags. Many napkins were involved in the consumption of some fine ginger tiffin. Diagonally down the road is Cafe Myra whereas up the road is Rocket Music, outside of which is a guitar being examined by a guy with a familiar face. That'll be Matthew, one-time tuba tooter. After saying our light lunch goodbyes, I spent the next half-hour reminiscing about life in the Westbourne School Brass Band, 1979 to 1984, a story for another time.

If it was a car -- Nichols N1A.
If they were passing by -- Nicholas Hoult.