At eleven o'clock each morning, most staff at the garden centre would take a ten-minute break in the tea room, enjoying a cup of tea or coffee. Though brief, this break was a lively exchange of news—from the garden centre to the UK and even the world. The topics were broad, and I loved chatting with everyone. It never mattered if we didn't fully understand each other; I never considered language a barrier to communication.
Just before Christmas in 2005, someone mentioned displaying boxes of "DUNKABLES" biscuits on the shop floor. I only caught the word "DUNKABLES," which to my ear sounded like "DONKEY ball." I suddenly chimed in:
"Donkey ball!? What's a donkey? What's a donkey ball? We sell donkey balls here? That's so strange!"
Everyone burst out laughing. From then on, "donkey and donkey ball" was on everyone's lips, becoming a frequent topic of conversation.
One morning, after greeting my colleague Tony, I asked him, "Where is your donkey ball?"
"I lost my donkey ball last night," he replied.
That day, "Tony lost a donkey ball last night" became the latest news circulating in the tea room and throughout our garden centre.