At 9.00 am, Saturday 14 March I was in the town centre of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK. A beautiful town with fine architecture.
Feeling replete after a full 'English Breakfast' and generally happy with life, I waited outside a bank, smoking a contemplative cigarette, whilst mu friend carried out his bank business. There were some fine women out and about.
Across the square, I noticed (no-one else seemed to) two JW literature carts. Nearby were some people (the dubs) sitting on a bench, drinking take-away coffee.
The man looked to be about 30 or so, and the woman somewhat younger. There was a baby in a push-chair. The woman (not unattractive by any means) sat on a bench in the square rocking the stroller to and fro. The guy stood with them and (I assume) their son. It was the boy I felt most sorry for. Aged about 7 or 8 I would guess, wearing 'meeting clothes', hair cut short with a parting, specs, - you could really guess that this kid would be bullied in school even if no-one knew he was a dub.
It was a cold morning, no fun at all. I smoked another cigarette (we all have our weaknesses!) and watched. No-one approached them or the carts, although there was a fair bit of foot traffic. The young woman was shivering.
I finished my cigarette and approached the trollies. I looked (I think) a medium sort of working guy. I looked at the stuff on the carts for quite some time. No approach from the guy at all. I selected a cellophane-bound very thin 'Watchtower' and 'Awake' packed back-to-back (March 2015, I think) and said to the guy 'Can I take this one? I'm really interested.) 'Yes, take it' he said, and that was the end of the conversation.
And that was it. No interest, no follow-up.
I was sad for the kid. He looked like he was the sort of kid who'd get picked on in school anyway, even without the dub stuff.
As for the wife - I will refrain from purely sexist and misogynistic comments - but I can think of things she might enjoy more than sitting on a cold bench.
So there we have 'trolley witnessing' - sitting on a bench in a cold square, no interest in or conversation with passers-by, even though they show a bit of interest and rake a magaxine.
My over-riding thoughts as I came away? First, does the geeky young kid have to pull a cart? Second (and I apologise in advance for this) has the yound wife ever had an orgasm without Jehovah watching?
