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Sundae · 04-04-2015, 11:12 PM

I went into my local shop to pick up my post. I'd somehow misbehaved in there quite recently and swore I'd never go back, out of shame. But in hindsight it seemed wrong not to support a local business and deny them custom when I was the one who caused the problem.

The Manager came by to mention politely that when I'd last used my card in there, although it had been processed at point of sale, when they'd submitted their receipts the bank had declined payment. It was £130. My stomach sank - no wonder my money had seemed to go further this fortnight. I said I would sort it out and get back to them, knowing full well it would be another four days before I could meet the payment.
I felt bad because I knew that everywhere I'd spent money since, being large chain shops and supermarkets, would always have had immediate payment. It was only because they were on an old sysem that they missed out.

It turns out that as well as holding my post for me they had a message taking service.
I picked my messages up. I scanned the sheet quickly. Blah blah DanaC, blah blah Limey - oh! a message from Bruce? He said if it was really needed he could help make up the £8 I needed for my travel card. Damn. £8 wouldn't even touch the sides now.

The lady behind the counter was understandably wary of me, adding to my guilt. What was it I'd done again? Kicked off in some way. Even though I knew I'd been sober I couldn't remember, except that I'd been rude.
I tried to engage her in conversation about my friend Peter. Because I'd remembered that he knew them in there too. I was trying to count his siblings. After his little brother was born, his parents had had more children, all girls. I worked out that he was one of seven siblings, and so came from a family unti of nine. I was trying to make a feeble joke about 7 of 9, but I couldn't get it across.

All I could think of was that I'd lied to Carruthers about having a bus-pass, and now I had no way to buy one. I had to get in contact with someone with photoshop skills so I could get some photos made up which showed me out and about and doing things so he'd never know. I thought about the cat photo, which I now realised didn't just have the one cat in it, but a whole row sitting like spectators across the top. It hadn't been done all that well either and I was embarrassed that I'd responded to it genuinely.

04-04-2015, 11:12 PM	#223
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	I went into my local shop to pick up my post. I'd somehow misbehaved in there quite recently and swore I'd never go back, out of shame. But in hindsight it seemed wrong not to support a local business and deny them custom when I was the one who caused the problem. The Manager came by to mention politely that when I'd last used my card in there, although it had been processed at point of sale, when they'd submitted their receipts the bank had declined payment. It was £130. My stomach sank - no wonder my money had seemed to go further this fortnight. I said I would sort it out and get back to them, knowing full well it would be another four days before I could meet the payment. I felt bad because I knew that everywhere I'd spent money since, being large chain shops and supermarkets, would always have had immediate payment. It was only because they were on an old sysem that they missed out. It turns out that as well as holding my post for me they had a message taking service. I picked my messages up. I scanned the sheet quickly. Blah blah DanaC, blah blah Limey - oh! a message from Bruce? He said if it was really needed he could help make up the £8 I needed for my travel card. Damn. £8 wouldn't even touch the sides now. The lady behind the counter was understandably wary of me, adding to my guilt. What was it I'd done again? Kicked off in some way. Even though I knew I'd been sober I couldn't remember, except that I'd been rude. I tried to engage her in conversation about my friend Peter. Because I'd remembered that he knew them in there too. I was trying to count his siblings. After his little brother was born, his parents had had more children, all girls. I worked out that he was one of seven siblings, and so came from a family unti of nine. I was trying to make a feeble joke about 7 of 9, but I couldn't get it across. All I could think of was that I'd lied to Carruthers about having a bus-pass, and now I had no way to buy one. I had to get in contact with someone with photoshop skills so I could get some photos made up which showed me out and about and doing things so he'd never know. I thought about the cat photo, which I now realised didn't just have the one cat in it, but a whole row sitting like spectators across the top. It hadn't been done all that well either and I was embarrassed that I'd responded to it genuinely.