IT'S ALRIGHT, JUST DOUBLE YOUR MONEY.

Can I check the postage for this letter please.

The envelope is pushed easily in and through the standard post office template's 'large letter' slot.

That's a large letter, I am told.

There is a (standard) first class letter stamp already stuck on the envelope...... So how much is the extra ? I politely ask.

It is thirty pence more ........     my total postage cost will be ninety pence,.

You'll just need another first class stamp, says the assistant.......

Why....what is the value of a first class stamp? I ask...... Sixty pence, the assistant tells me.

I was just about to ask if she had thirty pence's worth of stamps for me to add, when the manager, who had heard this exchange, intervened and guided the assistant to the appropriate value of stamps to give me from her counter sales book.

The excuse from the assistant,(no direct apology) was that this was her first day working at the Post Office counter.

It's not difficult to understand why did I not feel kindly disposed the woman who served me. I was however, very pointed in my parting thanks to the manageress for sorting out the sale. As I departed, an inadvertent, (I think) loud sigh escaped from the lips of another counter assistant.

 BIRTHDAY PRESENT DILEMMAS

Another birthday present, one which had to be posted, was not quite complete.  A voucher would add to the gift quite nicely, I thought.  One store, a national chain, only one of two in our town,  provided gift vouchers from the till receipt roll. I could see it getting thrown out with the paper waste. It was just a horrible scrap of paper. No way was I giving something looking like that!

Now you would think my next idea was a good one wouldn't you.  A book token that can be exchanged for a purchase in any bookshop in the land that participates in the scheme. "Oh there's none left.  They're on order.  The organisation is changing from card tokens to a plastic electronic card system.  We should have them in a couple of weeks."  Yeah, tell me another one.  I know this shop's business patter.  You wait and return, to find they still haven't got what you wanted or ordered.

I was frustrated, bordering on annoyance. Over a cup of coffee and a good home made cheese scone, I considered my options.  There weren't very many.  Although there was one more national chain store to try, it was by no means certain that they had gift vouchers in this branch.  I rang sprog 300 miles away.  Yes, a voucher could be purchased and sent direct by sprog, if I emailed the address etc.  What a convoluted way to have to do things!

At the post office counter, I moaned about my experiences.  "I think we sell vouchers", said the counter clerk, disappearing as she spoke into the back office and returning with the information  I bought one of their gift vouchers.  It could be spent in many stores nationwide, the majority of which don't exist where we live, but do trade where the birthday present was going.  I unsealed the parcel and put in the plastic electronic card with its presentation envelope.  The counter clerk offered to tape up my re-opened package.