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Friday 23 February 2018

Can You Hear Me?

I went out!!!!  I went to Aldi and my back only gave up when I got home, so result!  I picked up some bits, some bobs, some treats for bear and his pals - and unfortunately six yarn cakes and two sets of knitting looms, one round set and one straight.  What can I say?  I had a fail.  To be honest, it wasn't a huge fail as the yarn and the knitting looms were both ridiculously inexpensive and bear had been talking about the french knitting they had done at school and how much he wanted another go at that, so the knitting loom seemed a logical purchase.  Also, the yarn cakes may not be the topmost quality but they were certainly not the topmost price and I plan to let bear loose on a triangle shawl in plain knit once he gets the hang of knitting and the yarn cakes look awesome as triangles and it will be great for him to practise increasing. 

When I was pootling around Aldi I bumped into an elderly lady from church.  She is lovely, has a massive heart of gold and adored father, but she's not young in her mind.  I had to be really firm and not allow her to put all the yarn back (honestly, it was a steal!) and I also refused to allow her to drop me off (more stress than it was worth and our road really is appalling, especially for octogenarians).  I didn't get to ask the staff about some bits that didn't seem to be stocked anymore and I had to dive for the taxi as I rang for it as the (really, really, really lovely) lady was distracted as she had an issue with her card.  It was nice seeing her, but I don't think I got through to her that actually I wanted the yarn and it was okay.

Then the taxi driver was, I don't know how to put this, insistent on being hlepful.  I saw this on reddit - he wanted to 'hlep' which looks like 'help' but isn't.  I don't like strangers in my home.  I'm sure most women my age know of incidents which happened to themselves or friends where letting a stranger in wasn't a good idea and it's something I'm not comfortable with.  I couldn't get out of the car quick enough before he was ahead of me, dropping bags and insisting that I open the door for him.  I told him it was great and to leave the stuff in the garden but he didn't listen as he was absolutely determined that I open the door for him.  I felt backed into a corner, and I get stubborn then, and he was getting more insistent and I was getting snappier.  Fortunately someone rang my mobile at that point and I took the call and ignored him until he drove off.  I really did feel under siege, just because he wouldn't hear 'no'.  He wasn't doing anything wrong.  He was probably trying to be helpful.  I just wish he had heard what I was saying. 

Bear doesn't hear me either but I'm resigned to that and I don't expect it to improve. 

4 comments:

  1. Good for you for going out! Yikes on that driver. I wouldn't have liked that at all. I would have felt really trapped and panicky. Is there someone you can ring and complain? I don't feel that's right especially as you told him no.

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    1. I channelled my inner Lily Savage so he got a very firm 'no' but it did feel really pushy. I don't know about ringing up the taxi firm. They are normally very good, and I don't like to get people into trouble. If I get him again and the same stuff happens I think I will speak up. It's a shame, because most of their drivers (I get a taxi roughly once every six months lol) are awesome. LM x

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  2. Glad you were able to go out. Sorry to hear about all the overly "helpful" people you encountered!

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    1. Thank you. I feel assured that not only did I get out, but I didn't collapse when challenged. It's a win, I guess. LM x

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