Ey up, Paddington! How are you getting on?
Hello, Your Local Link. Oh, not too bad, thank you – mustn’t grumble. It’s nice to be here in York!
It’s nice to have you, Paddington! You’ve certainly got an excellent view of the Minster, here on this bench…
I have indeed! It’s a lovely spot for planning adventures, although it can get a bit lonely sometimes, especially late at night, or when it’s raining…
Oh dear. At least you’ve got your hat and coat to protect you from the elements!
That’s true. I always bring my hat and coat, everywhere I go. You never know when they might come in handy!
When you first arrived in London from darkest Peru, you were disappointed that “hardly anyone wears a hat or says hello”. Have you found the people of York to be more welcoming?
Yes, those Londoners weren’t too friendly – always in a rush. Luckily, I’ve been made to feel very welcome here. People are much more chatty, and they’re always bringing marmalade sandwiches for me to sample! All those hen dos can become a little tiresome, though…
Tell us about it, Pads! Speaking of marmalade sandwiches, we’ve brought one along for you to try, made with our own fair hands… what do you reckon? Is it up to scratch?
Oh, lovely! A wise bear always keeps a marmalade sandwich in case of emergency. Hmmm, now let me see… The bread is nice and soft, and the marmalade-to-bread ratio seems fine… the marmalade is, of course, fantastic – sticky, sweet, and just the right amount of peel. Marmalade is the finest spread ever made! Not bad, not bad at all. I’ll pop this under my hat for later. Thanks, Your Local Link!
You’re very welcome, Paddington – don’t eat it all at once! Now, these days, you’re recognised as the most-loved bear of all. There’s only one other bear who can hold a candle to you, and that’s Winnie the Pooh. Have you ever met him?
Yes, I have met Pooh. Our paths have crossed quite often. Well, I’m not one to speak ill of others, but he isn’t the sharpest tool in the box. We’ve never argued, although I did need to give him a hard stare once or twice. He’s not a bad fellow, and we always get on fine (although he’s considerably older than me)…
Ouch! That’s quite the burn, Paddington. You’re no spring chicken yourself!
Well, I was born in 1956, and Pooh was born in 1925. You do the maths!
We can’t argue with that. Thanks for chatting with us, Paddington. We’ll come back soon with another sarnie for you to try.
You’re very welcome. Wonderful! I’ll look forward to it…
Fancy a chat and a sandwich with Paddington? You can find him on the bench at Dean’s Park, Minster Yard, York YO1 7JJ.
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