I only wanted to park my car for ten minutes while I picked up the flowers for my daughters floristry course this evening.
There was an available space next to a small red vehicle with an elderly lady sitting in the passenger seat with a mug of tea and some biscuits on the dashboard. I smiled at her as I checked my purse for the 30p ticket fee – murphy’s law was with me yet again as I realised I had no change.
I rushed to the nearest shop, got the right change for the machine and was just about to collect my ticket when I noticed the car park attendant standing next to my car. I legged it over to him in an attempt to stop him writing me a ticket, foolishly thinking I could explain….. but, he was having none of it:
"You parked without getting a ticket, are you disabled? where is your badge?"
I found my self stammering:
"I only went to get some change for the machine, I have it here look!"
"But you haven’t bought a ticket with it have you?"
"I was just going to when I noticed you standing beside my car. I can go and get it now."
"Its a bit too late now isn’t it" he sneered "I’ll give you one of my tickets, next time you’ll remember to bring the right change."
I was just about to lose it with him, after all I am off work suffering from stress, when the door of the little red car opened and the elderly lady started to speak:
"Young man?"
Young? Well I suppose he appeared that way to her.
The man turned as she spoke.
"Leave the girl alone, she went to get change, she’s got change now let her buy a ticket. Stop bullying her – surely you’re not employed to do that?"
Girl? mmmmm well in the scheme of things I must fit the category, chronologically at least.
The attendant started to bluster:
"Well actually, it is my job to fine payment evaders."
The lady looked at me:
"Go and get your ticket my dear and let me speak to this young man while you do."
I did as I was told and went over to the machine and got a ticket, but when I turned to go back to my car I noticed the attendant was walking away, in the opposite direction to me.
I got back to my car and put the ticket on the screen. I turned and looked at the lady who had shut the door again and was sipping her tea. She looked at me and winked. I asked her what had happened.
"Nothing much my dear – I just told him what I thought of him and he left."
I thanked her for her help and she just smiled and went back to her tea.
So I have decided to look around for my Fairy Godmother the next time I meet a bullying Jobsworth. She is magnificent!!!!