A
conversation at a courier's office this morning:-
Hi. I've
come to collect a packet of books.
OK. Can I
have your ID?
It's
X*********P.
No, I need
to see your card, to prove you are who you say you are.
Yes,
there must be a real risk of some foreigner coming in here and
pretending to be me.
You wouldn't
believe what goes on here.
I took a
visitor with an ear problem to my doctor's surgery this morning. The
receptionist was very helpful and showed herself unusually flexible
at finding a way to save my guest from having to pay for treatment
because she'd left her EU health card at home. When I said she was
willing to pay as she had insurance to cover it, the receptionist
answered: "We don't want her to have to go to all that trouble,
do we?" And then she gave us an appointment for the evening,
apologising that it couldn't be earlier. All very commendable. Mind
you, my visitor did have to fill in the same form in the evening when
we went for the appointment. Probably because she has a second
appointment, with a syringe-wielding nurse, later in the week.
Another
helpful individual today was the owner of a lamp shop in which I left
my car keys. Going back later, I found the place closed but with a
notice on the door telling me my keys were in the pharmacy next door.
Sadly, this was closed and we had to get a taxi home but this didn't
diminish my appreciation for the guy from the lamp shop.
Having young
visitors has reminded me of how certain words and phrases have
changed their meaning over the last few decades:
Steaming
- Now means to be drunk
To
take the piss
- No longer means just 'to make fun' of but to 'irritate, annoy'
LOL
-
Now means 'Laugh out loud', rather than 'Lots of love'.
Doubtless
there'll be others over the next week.
Finally
. . . In a bar down near the local brothel, we were given a standard
bowl of nuts with our drinks. But on top of the nuts were several
sweets, including coca-cola bottles and what I'm reliably informed
are yummy bears. Only one of us ate the latter.
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