the coffee in this place was american-style revolting , colored dishwater , so i finished the sports section without ordering a second cup , paid the waitress who had mistakenly sauntered into my area en route to the toilet , and , unhindered today by any additional survey-takers , i lit up another cigarette and set off along the strand , so named , by the way , because it used to border on the river thames until we cemented everything up .