Gareth gave a Talk last night and quite a few people were impressed by the books. He took some with him and would you believe I’ve nearly got through the box I’ve got. I just didn’t know they’d go so quickly; mind you, last night was for a specialized audience. I’ll have to get some more driven over as I just don’t have room for them here at the moment – all thirty boxes of them! I’m trying to create space if anything, not obstruct it!
Talking of which, I’m going to have to get another double bed. The one I’ve got now has been ruined by water damage that happened in 2002. Its quite dry now, but the mattress is literally falling to bits. Point is, I’ll probably get a slightly smaller one as this one’s huge; its about 6 foot wide! Not to small though, for obvious reasons!
I did get paid quite a bit of compensation from the Court Agreement, so at least in that respect, it won’t cost me anything.
Interesting little incident yesterday which might amuse you – at least, show the limits of some human stupidity.
For weeks now (well months actually) we’ve been bombarded with gumph from the TV licencing people. I’ve just been tearing it all in half and leaving it on the window sill where everybody can see it.
Well, early evening yesterday two sultry-looking individuals came to the door and asked me if I had a TV licence. “I don’t need one because I haven’t got a television”, I said.
Then it started! They saw the torn up letters and asked who had done it. “I did, why? I always tear up junk”.
They didn’t think that was funny, and so started to get verbally threatening. That really did it! I don’t like being threatened!
I said . . . “Right. Lets start by getting both your names and seeing your ID”.
They were genuine all right, but I still didn’t like their attitude.
So basically I said . . . “Look, I am not legally obliged to let you in. Full stop. But I’ll take you to my flat and then I’ll be demanding a full written apology which your office will have to give me whether they like it or not”.
I showed then each room but when they saw my video player in the lounge, their faces lit up.
“You need a licence for that”, one of them almost snarled.
‘I certainly do NOT” I empathized, “Its only to watch video’s on”.
“We’ll have to check on that”, the other one said.
I said . . . “Check all you want. You’ll find that that machine has no facilities to see a televison picture. You’re obviously don’t know your jobs properly if you don’t even know that”.
They didn’t like that! But they still wouldn’t concede.
I ended up by saying . . . “A Court doesn’t have to decide anything. I fully aware of the law. But I warn you if you continue to waste my time, I’ll take YOU to Court for undue harassment and I’d get full costs from your Office. So go ahead!”
In reality, they haven’t got a leg to stand on. They just don’t like people standing up to them. They liked it even less when I told them they’d have to leave as I had work to do, and they’d wasted enough of my time already.
I don’t know how they’ll react further, but I’m going to demand a written apology and, with a bit of luck, it might stop those stupid letters.
Anyway, that’s enough of that boring little incident.
But as I started off by saying, the books are going extremely well.
For the moment,
David
