Unexpected visitors

Who says nothing ever happens in the country? I'd had a busy day last Tuesday: shopping in Vic with my daughter ; home to give lunch for three of the family;a general sort-out in the teaching room... 'Time for a cup of tea' I thought, ... I heard a knock at the front door. Two middle-aged back-packers stood there, hot, disheveled. I invited them to sit down outside and brought them water. So far the couple had not spoken more than to murmur a reply to my 'hola' at seeing them arrive. My ''How can I help?'' asked in Catalan, met with puzzled looks. ''Are you English?'' '' We're Irish.'' said the man. ''I'm Gerry and this is Mary.'' We are pilgrims on the way to Santiago de Compostela''. I remembered vaguely that there are many way- marked route's from France and Italy and Northern Europe and I had seen the shell signs near my house marking the Catalan Sant Jaume section. ''We usually do about 100 kilometres each time we come'' said Gerry '' but this time we bit off more than we could chew''. ''How about a cup of tea?'' I ventured, hoping they'd say 'yes' so I could have one too! I quickly brought tea and biscuits. ''We're looking for a hostel for supper, bed and breakfast, ''We're happy to pay' Mary added quickly. ''You sit here and enjoy your tea and I'll see if the Agrotourism 'B and B' nearby is open.'' I phoned but got no reply. I tried a few more places in Rupit, but all were closed, so I phoned my daughter who runs the hotel some distance away. '' So sorry Mum, but we are full with a film crew, not one room left. Have you tried La Devesa hostel on the road to Olot?''. I phoned and (hurray!) an ex-student of mine said that of course they could come. I took Gerry and Mary up the road, introduced them, and left them to be 'restored'. 'Ah, that's where the word 'restaurant' comes from' I thought ', restoring people's energy on dusty hikes and rides before the time of cars'.

Arriving home to Tilly's thumping tail wagging, I discovered the hikers had cleared away the tea things and even washed the tea-pot, as I had been on the phone. 'Gerry and Mary' I reflected affectionately' just like 'Joseph and Mary' ,tired from a long journey, and nowhere to lay their heads'. I felt utterly content. But then a voice inside me said unkindly ' but you have lots of room. Why did you send them out to another 'stable'?' I suppose I'm good at making tea ,but not so sure of my cooking abilities. That's why!