Todays memoir prompt invites you to step into something surprisingly revealing: the humble queue. On the surface, queuing seems simple. You wait your turn. You shuffle forward. You keep the peace.
But for many of us, especially in the UK, it’s more than just a line. It’s a quiet ritual. A code of conduct. A national trait.
When Did You First Learn to Queue?
Think back: What’s your earliest memory of learning queue etiquette?
Was it your mum whispering “Let them go first, they were here before us”?
Or a primary school lunch line where cutting in was social suicide?
Sometimes these lessons come quietly. Other times, they arrive with a cultural jolt.
I remember standing in a shop in the Caribbean, waiting my turn. Patiently. Politely.
People strolled in, breezed past me, and went straight to the counter. I stood there in disbelief, convinced I was invisible.
Eventually, I realised: unless I moved, I’d be there all day. This wasn’t Britain. There were no silent rules. No line. Just instinct and boldness.
It was the first time I realised queuing wasn’t universal. It was cultural. And deeply British.
Write the Queue That Meant Something
Now, take your memory deeper.
What’s the most significant queue you’ve ever been in?
-
Was it a midnight wait for concert tickets?
-
A solemn, silent line at the Queen’s lying-in-state?
-
That euphoric, early morning queue for your first iPhone?
-
A childhood line at a fairground that felt like forever?
Who did you meet while waiting?
What did you hear?
How did you pass the time?
Describe the weather. Your shoes. The weight of your bag. The smell of coffee from a nearby kiosk. What were you thinking as you inched forward?
Sometimes, queues are where moments happen—a chance meeting, a personal realisation, or even a shift in perspective.
Memoir Prompt
Write about a time when queuing taught you something about British character—or about yourself.
What makes that moment stand out?
Did you see a rule broken or fiercely defended?
Did you hold back? Step forward? Speak up?
What did it reveal about who you are—or who you were trying to be?
Reflection Tips
-
Add sensory details: What did it smell like? What sounds stood out?
-
Bring in emotion: How did you feel while waiting?
-
Connect then and now: How do you feel about queues today?
-
Consider the cultural lens: What does this memory say about society or change over time?
-
End with a thread: How did this moment, this line, this wait, shape the person you’ve become?
Sometimes the slowest moments reveal the most about us.
Let today’s line lead you somewhere meaningful.
