I remember the first time I stepped into THE department store. The rotating glass doors were followed by costumed guards who told tourists to take the satchels off their back, then letting them to walk to hugely elaborated displays of the finest merchandise. It was a dream land. I especially loved the food court, with headless pheasants and pigeons in cold cases, with wall full of selections of wines, champagne and shelly. I loved the tea and coffee department, too. The clerks would let you sniff the tea leaves out of huge green tins, by taking out some onto the lid of the tin. They carried those tins like they are dancing with them.
It has been over 15 years ago. I went back there 10 years ago, and the place was already changing. The dreamy atmosphere was fading away. It was getting a bit common. But the tea and coffee department was surprisingly preserved in time, with this very English clerk looking professional and efficient. I ordered teas out of big green tins and he carried the tins to me, letting me sniff them, and tossing lids to weight out 100g of Flowery Earl Grey. He called me madam and I was still in teens.
I went back there once a year and the same clerk was serving me tea leaves for years.
One year, I decided that I want to buy morning tea, so asked for a bag of Morning Kick. The clerk came to me with the tin, and weighed 100g of leaves out, and put the label on the bag, then handed the bag with usual classy air, saying,
"Here is your Morning Fuck, madam."
That clerk has since gone, possibly to some other department, and I do miss him so much. The department store is really quite common and touristy now, feels like he took that dreamy air with him, leaving me totally served...
