As you know, the other day I got an email from 'Waterstones' informing me that I could lose my £10 voucher if I did not use it by the end of the month. This, I consider, a rather sneaky way to entice the stupid book buying public into spending money they cannot afford near Christmas. I naturally refused to fall for this crude ruse.
Unfotunately, somehow or other the three books at the top became part of this weeks postman problem. It appears I had ordered them and Chris, the postman, refused to deliver them on Wednesday as he would not ring the bell. I will ring his on Monday!
A strange thing about this business is that the books did not come from Waterstones themselves, one came from Hatchards and two from Foyles, or was it the other way around? Anyway, having reapplied for delivery I also prayed that something would be done, and it was, the reglular postman on Friday was ignored and Zac, the unsmiling van driver, delivered to my door, unsmiling. I like Zac, he was always good when I worked there but today's management style, the huge number of drops he now has, in an area he must be sick of having been brought up here, and with no option but to continue this employment means he may be tiring of life. Royal Mail management once was operated by ex-postmen, today'experts,' shrewd in the ways of looking at figures on paper, have arrived and no one is happy. The managers I knew were quick to take their leave, many experienced men retired, and folk like Zac are now lumbered and the easy life he once enjoyed, easier than mine, has gone. Instead poor management on the ground, constant change of manager, and lack of comprehension 'upstairs' does not lead to happy people. I see trouble next year.
You will note my 'To Read' pile has one or two which have been begun. That shows not only how slow readig has become but also that big words, small font and 700 pages are not encouragement to read.
Is 'Lockdown' affecting concentration? Could it be I am just a slob? Answers on a postcard. I am just glad the charity shops have closed again for LockDown. Had they remained open I may have found myself accidentally buying books to add to the pile. In fact I took some books down to one shop the other day and donated them, books I could not use, out of date, and unliked. My problem is now avoiding buying them back again in December!
They still have not finished the count. Not that the loser will accept it anyway, already he has begun spurious court suits, anti-media propaganda, and generally objecting to everything that he does not like. The sooner he has gone the better, he leaves the USA in a divided mess however.
My eye was caught by the Michael Palin book. Erebus was a figure in Greek mythology, a sinister sounding character who really didn't sound Palin's style. I was so curious I looked it up and I discovered that Palin was writing about a ship. Phew, that's more like it! I was glad to find he hadn't turned sinister. :)
ReplyDeleteI knew a chap in junior management in the Royal Mail some twenty years ago....he had started as a postman on a rural round in the north of England, taking his whippet with him in the van. Given the changes even then, he was pushing for early retirement.
ReplyDeleteI don't envy the chaps on the sharp end of it all these days.
You're a better man than I sm, Gunga Din...I can't part with a book....
Jenny, HMS Erebus was lost for many years, Palin went looking for her. He is a man of many tastes.
ReplyDeleteFly, Indeed, 20 years ago is when they began cutting jobs and preparing to sell Royal Mail. I only part with books that I have no more use for, most remain.