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Sales and Silly Tales
Parc Tawe, a shopping mall near Swansea, is not doing so well, according to a newspaper report. I wentshopping today (not in ParcTawe) and prices were slashed in many places. 70% off is what I call good, or desperate if you're the shopkeeper. I bought some glassbeads, 30 down to 9. I didn't hesitate.
I metan older friend in one of the shops. Mairhad already chosen a dark brown skirt but wanted a blouse. Abeige blouseshe liked did not fit her and the assistant suggesteda red andyellow striped top, 50 in the sale. I could see Mair was hesitant so I pointed out thatred and yellowdid not co-ordinate withbrown. Not phased, the assistant returned with a blacktop with patch pockets, definitely notMair's style and the wrong colour, too.
After Mair had bought the skirtwe went to another shop and found exactly what she wanted: awhite blouse in fine cotton, with small silver buttons.
I often wonder about people's minds. Do they view the elderlyasa different species, if not as clothes horses, perhaps, but as 'cashcows' on whom they can foist their hard-to-sell items.
Once, and strangely I wasn't that old then, perhaps I just looked it,a Swansea shop assistant tried to flatter me by sayinga garment I Iiked was my size.
'Go and try it', she said blithely.
I had grave doubts. Granted, it wenton easily,but getting it off was another matter. My mother was with me in the changing room.I am taller and bigger than she is. I knelt on the floor and my mother started tugging. She's not that strong
Westarted laughing simultaneously, the type of laughter that doesn'tstop. I imagined the dress tearing, while my motherchecked the price tab. When I eventually wriggled out of it, I felt a bit like Houdini.
A recent televisonprogramme featuredan old lady who had losther life savings to a 'cowboy' builder.The 'granny annexe' she had wanted turned out to be an electrical nightmare and the plumbing was no better.It took twenty minutes to empty the walk-in bath, so she had to sit there while it drained.The programmeended with a warning tothe 'elderly and women on their own' to watch for'sharks'.
It's not going to stop me shopping.I like it, but I'll be watching for the 'big white hunters' in future.
"Another thing that maddens me is cars that zoom right up closewhen I'm over-taking. I do not hog the outside lane on a dual carriage-way, using it only until I'vecompleted the manoeuvre. I am not slow, but I do not go over 70 miles an hour, which is not fast enough for them."
When people do that to me, I slow down and I keep slowing down until they back off. What they're doing is dangerous, stupid and illegal here, it's called tailgating and if the person you're tailgating has to suddenly stop for some reason, you may plow into them and possibly push them into someone else. I also wish I was a cop a LOT and would love to be able to give people tickets for some of the incredibly stupid and dangerous things I see.
I've had that same conversation with a driver in an alley you had and it plainly said "no parking" on both walls - this was a woman who snippily told me I shouldn't drive through there and I barked at her that she was in the wrong for parking right under a no parking sign and how dare she give me lip! but this made neither of us feel better, she turned red yelling at me and I walked off tense and sour and wondering who she'd be yelling at next. I hate that! Sometimes here you'll also get (almost always young male) drivers who will fly up behind you as you're trying to back into a parking space and block you by sitting right on your bumper (maybe even honking at you) until you give up and leave and then they take the spot. I just sit there and stare into their eyes from the rearview mirror until they give up (usually screeching off , making obscene gestures on the way). Some people just have absolutely execrable manners!
Hi Rhianne, Just read your comments and agree. I read somewhere 'Beware of the older woman'. Women's testosterone comes into play after a certain age, apparently, and I think that's a good thing.
I was unable to get my car through a narrow side-street recently because of aparked van.I enquired in a nearby shop if they knew who the culprit was. They did and I found him. I askedpolitely if he wouldn't mind moving his vehicle.
'Truck drivers can pass', he said. 'I'm not a truck driver', I said, good naturedly, I thought, keeping the smile in place. He moved the van, saying, 'Don't come this way again'.
He seemed oblivious to the fact he was causing an obstruction. There was not one word of thanks to me for not 'phoning the traffic warden.
I'm wondering why the council does not put double yellow lines in place in this particular street. Perhaps I shall ask them.
Another car parked in the exit of the local library. I went to ask the elderly male passenger when the driver would be back so I could get my car out. The reply I had wasto drive over the (steep ) kerb (and knockmy car's under carriage). I felt like saying 'Why should I?' Really, why do these people think we are prepared to put up with their awkwardness. Ikept quiet and fumed.
Another thing that maddens me is cars that zoom right up closewhen I'm over-taking. I do not hog the outside lane on a dual carriage-way, using it only until I'vecompleted the manoeuvre. I am not slow, but I do not go over 70 miles an hour, which is not fast enough for them.
Yesterday I could notpull back to the inside lane immediately when someone zoomed up, because drivers were following each other too closely, so the man behind me tooted at me!
I don't know where he thought I could go. That behaviour can cause an accident. Why don't these people start out sooner if they are so desperate?
Another annoying thing some lorry drivers do is, whenI get into my lane for turning to the right, at a roundabout, they zoom up close behind me, then veer to their left for their turning at the last minute. I did not know so many psychos pass the driving test!
My husband often says when I've been to Carmarthen 'What happened on the road. Any incidents?'
I'd like to see more police patrol cars on the road, to make it a safer place.Perhaps we women should get ourselves trained and get out there as traffic volunteers. I'dreally enjoy my job and know what to watch for - I wouldn't need much training, I can tell you!
You are right Gill there are those who would prey on the older generation and I despise them.
The shopping assistant is one example. Here's another:
I don't often get visibly angry - scarlet rising to my face, and jaws tense - but when I discovered a distant family member had been conned by a builder who claimed to have discovered a serious problem with his roof and then proceeded to coerce tens of hundreds of pounds worth of repairs, over a 6 month period from him, I lost my temper.
The Police were involved and they told us that this builder had been running the scam for quite some time. Even forcing the poor souls to trot to the bank to withdraw cash, so that tracks could not be followed. Using those bullying tactics he had managed to extract 100's of thousands of pounds from old-aged pensioners in one town alone.
I am reminded of vultures when I think of those utterly evil people.
It seems to me the days of honest, good service have long disappeared.
And, I am turning into a 'grumpy old woman'.