The fish and chip shop

near us must be used by some people on a regular basis.
I had cause to go in there yesterday. The Senior Cat had a podiatry appointment and Middle Cat had taken him off. They were going to have "lunch out" afterwards. 
That meant I was free to help when an elderly friend phoned me and said, "Cat,you aren't by any chance going to do some shopping?"
I can lie beautifully about that sort of thing if I think someone needs help. I told him,
    "Actually you just caught me. I was about to leave. What do you want?"
It turned out he had, unbeknown to me, his neighbours, or his children spent the previous night in hospital having gashed his leg rather badly. He had not done his usual shopping trip the day before. There was no milk in the house. He wanted a cup of tea...and he wanted some lunch.
    "Can you get me a pie or something?"
I happen to know that he is a "once a week at the fish and chip shop" customer so I said,
    "What about fish and chips? It's your day for it isn't it?"
Would I really? Of course I would. I went into the fish and chip shop and gave them his order, then to the nearby chemist and on to the supermarket which is a little further away. 
Back in the fish and chip shop the girl behind the counter said to me,
      "You said this was for .....?"
      "Yes."
I told her what had happened. Her boss, working a little further away told her, "Throw in a salad for him...and he occasionally likes to have an iced coffee with it - on the house."
Then he said to me, "Tell him we'll see him next week or, if he still can't make it,  S....here can drop it round to him."
I managed to get in a "thank you" before he looked at someone else who had just come in and asked, "The usual?" 
The other man just said, "Yeah, ta."
I took the food around to my elderly friend. While he was making a quick phone call of thanks I made him a large pot of tea and then left him to it. His son was coming in on his way home from work and he said he'd be fine. 
It's an ordinary suburban fish and chip shop but it is also extra-ordinary. It is the cleanest fish and chip I know, light and bright. The prices are reasonable. The food is good. I know Middle Cat uses it. Her husband knows about fish and chip shops. His father ran one for years and the children were expected to help. He approves of the place. They know the owner.
And the people who work there know their regular customers. They make the extra effort for them. Is it any wonder it was getting busy when I left?