BAMF, my friend

I have been living in Bath for about four months now. And on one of my first days here, walking to the Sainsbury’s in town, I met a guy named Bamf. He works in the Green Park Station selling clothes. He is a friendly 50 something year old man, with a full beard and no teeth. He often wears a hat that covers up a pink streak in his hair. He has a delightfully high voice that goes well with his positivity and friendliness. He is curious about me as a person, my thoughts on Bath and is eager to share his opinions and beliefs. I stop by to chat with him every time I see him.

 One day I was talking to him and his friend came by to chat with him as well. I asked how they met, which turned into me learning how Bamf lost his teeth. About twenty years ago, some guys had jumped Bamf and his jaw was broken. The doctors put a wire in his jaw to fix it, and when they took out the wire they ripped out all the enamel in his teeth. So they just ended up pulling out all of the teeth. He eats a lot of chocolate and apparently steak too.

 The day he told me that story was the day that you my friend Verity hosted a yoga event at my accommodation. I told Bamf that I might attend, when I finished with my interaction with him and was leaving he said, “Have fun at the bendy thing!” I asked what he meant and he said he was talking about the yoga event. Which made me laugh, as he tends to do. 

Another time I was chatting with him at his clothes stand, a man stopped to look in the Chili Hut that was across from his clothing stand. Bamf went to assist him there. He then began to rattle off all of his knowledge about the various bottles of chili. I was seriously impressed, he was describing all of the different flavors that he’d tried, and what uses they have on different foods. 

For at least fifteen minutes I was just standing there listening to Bamf go on about all of these chili sauces, giving the customer and me taste samples. When he finished with one section of the chili he would begin to say, “that’s about all I can tell you... OH!” Then he would move on to another section of chili with excitement and continue to describe more chili. I had no reason to stick around other than it interested me immensely. After Bamf went through about all of the chili that he supposedly knew, the customer settled with Mega Death. Disregarding all of Bamf’s suggestions, and going for the hottest sauce available. I have a feeling that he was enjoying tasting different samples, and listening to Bamf go on about all of the chili as much as I was.

Bamf went back to packing up his clothing post. He described that encounter as taking a break from cleaning up. I saw it as hard work describing all of that chili, but he is so knowledgeable that it was easy for him. He is fascinating, and interested in people, talking to anybody else who passes by. He is a kind and honest man, which makes him a not great salesman. Although, to me it seems that it is more important for him to be friendly and helpful than to make money. I admire him for that, and it is why I continue to go back to see him. I suggest anyone who reads this to go and visit him at the Green Park Station.