Kudos to Egmont's

July 25, 2009

Dear Sir,

I wanted to share with you my experience with a wonderful store merchant in St. George's during my visit a couple of weeks ago ...

It was our last hour in St. George's before we needed to get back to the cruise ship. My oldest daughter Eve, 17, wanted to make one last visit to a boutique store she visited the day before. She wasn't quite sure where it was, but as we walked up York Street we found it to be the last of the shops.

There we entered Egmont's at 2 York Street. As my wife and daughter proceeded to browse, I noticed two store owners struggling to figure out a new intercom system they had purchased to communicate between the downstairs and upstairs. Though technically savvy with electronics, I was reluctant to meddle. My sidelong glances gave it away as a third lady behind the counter (June was her name) stated that I looked like I knew something about gadgets. She was right! Within a few minutes, I had June and her sister, Roseanne, and their brother (I didn't catch his name) up and running on the intercom system and ready to go.

That's when I got to experience the true friendliness of the Bermuda people. They expressed their gratefulness above and beyond anything I have ever experienced.

June started to tell us all about Bermuda through the rack of postcards on display. She told us to pick out five cards to have as thanks for helping out. Then, after telling us about the lucky hog penny and its history, she insisted I take a money clip with a shinny hog penny on it. There was no rejecting her kind offer.

But, their kindness didn't end there. Once back to the ship I realised that my wife and daughter only spent a few dollars in their store. Oh no!What they must think of us Americans! I had to set things straight. While in the store I had been eyeing a hemp shirt for myself, which I, for some reason, didn't buy. Luckily, I had grabbed their business card, so I called them straight away.

I talked to Roseanne and asked if I could give her my credit card number and if she could mail me the shirt. Roseanne asked me where I lived, which is near Baltimore. I was speechless when Roseanne responded "Tell you what, how about I bring it to you?". As my mind tried to wrap itself around a jesture that just doesn't exist, Roseanne explained that she actually lives in Baltimore and was only visiting her sister and brother in Bermuda.

In keeping with what I now know as the "kind and generous people of Bermuda," Roseanne delivered me that hemp shirt. Not worried about payment, they didn't take my credit card. They held in me a blind faith that I didn't know existed anymore; I found it in a little boutique at #2 York Street, St. George's, Bermuda. Thank you to June, Roseanne, and your brother, for a renewed faith in the simple kindness that can be found, at least, in Bermuda.

CHRIS MOBLEY

Glenwood, Maryland