Search This Blog

Thursday, March 24, 2005

The aging process

Gorse Fox needed some foreign exchange. Simple process - find Bank, Post Office or Travel Agent with ForEx and check thaey have sufficient funds available. That's where it all went silly...
  • GF thinks Bank is good, but does not know phone number. (own branch is 120 miles away)
    • Uses directory enquiries (online)
    • Gets number for local branch. Calls.
    • Number turns out to be a national call centre. GF explains his requirement.
    • Call centre condescends to provide local branch telephone number.
    • GF calls local branch. Explains request.
    • Local branch no longer handles ForEx. Helpfully they suggest the GF calls a travel agent
  • Returning to Directory Enquiries, GF looks up name of very famous travel agent in local area.
  • GF phones said very famous travel agency and explains requirement.
  • Very famous travel agency explains her computers have just failed, and can she call back.
  • Always patient, the GF says "of course" and provides famous travel agency with phone number.
  • Time passes
  • Famous travel agent calls back. Yes she can help. Her computers are still down so will be unable to provide a receipt, but has phoned another branch to check all the numbers for the transaction.
  • GF says "Brilliant, I'll be there within the hour"

That was where it all went weird. GF had some lunch, posted some letters and headed for town. He parked and strolled along to the travel agency.
"I see the computers are up!"
quoth he. ForEx lady gives peculiar look and humours Gorse Fox. The transaction goes ahead.
"So I got my receipt after all"
said the Gorse Fox.
Gorse Fox gets another peculiar look, but bids his adieus concluding that at his age you have to expect peculiar looks. (Quickly check for wardrobe malfunction... no that's fine).
Gorse Fox heads home. Halfway back a thought dawned on him... he did not vist the very famous travel agency; he went to their nearby rival.

No comments: