Thursday, August 28, 2008 - Back in the UK, Part 2- What Luck! |
I want to relate an experience that happened to me in London that gave me confidence that things aren't as bad as I remember/imagine when I lived in London/the UK.
Earlier this week, myself and the other half were in a pub in Mayfair and following our drinks, we walked down Piccadilly to Fortnum and Mason. Whilst in F & M, I realized that my Oyster card (pay as you go card that is used as a ticket) in its holder was no longer in my pocket. As well as the Oyster card, the holder contained my hotel key (another credit size card). So, understandably, I wanted to find both.
I asked a member of F & M staff if there were any public phones in the store. I really wanted to get access to a phone book so that I could call the pub to see if my lost items were there. There were no phones in the store so the staff suggested I go up to the fifth floor and ask at the office for a phone book. Unfortunately, the lady in the office on the fifth floor had thrown out the phone books she'd found recently because they were very old (from 1995). I explained the purpose of my wanting the phone book and even though she was sitting at her desk in front of a computer, she immediately picked up the phone and called the operator. Once through, she passed the phone to me and I asked the operator for the number of the pub. No luck with that because the pub was ex-directory (the number is not publicly available). I thought that was odd. I would think a pub would have a phone number that was public. A pub is also known as a public house but clearly this one in Mayfair preferred a lower profile. I had no choice but to walk back to the pub, as quickly as possible, in the hope that a customer or member of the pub staff had found my items. Walking as fast as possible, I made it to the pub in about 10 minutes and made a beeline for the banquette where I had been sitting less than 30 minutes before. No sign of the distinctive yellow holder and as I headed to the bar, the bar staff was smiling, waving a yellow card holder. "Oh yes. That's mine" and she handed it straight over to me with no questions. At this point, you might be thinking to yourself, why would the staff hand over an item so easily. Well, it was mid-afternoon and the pub was virtually empty. Also, on entering the pub, I went over to the exact location where I had sat in the pub (where no-one was sitting at that point), so she could see that I was looking for something. I was grateful to be reunited with both my Oyster card and my hotel key card. Public transport in London is not cheap and I had about £6.00's credit on the Oyster card.
I'm relieved that the story has a happy ending. |
|
|
About Me
Former Londoner, now living in Durham, NC since 2002.
Friends
• cindyabs
|
