There's No Need for It

I've always believed in common courtesy. It takes very little effort and makes for a pleasant friendly environment in which we all can live. When in a customer facing environment, courtesy is something that should be automatic. The job calls for it and regardless of whether someone is working in a shop, on a bus or in a health service, common courtesy should always be a prerequisite.
How saddened was I then to be met with one of the most surly and discourteous people I've met, this morning whilst collecting my wife's prescription at Sutton Bridge Medical Centre.
This practise already has a reputation for being unfriendly and generally unhelpful so I wasn't expecting much. Firstly I was left waiting at the collection window for what seemed as long as five minutes whilst the dispensary assistant stared aimlessly at a computer, in full view of me. A simple acknowledgement would have been enough to satisfy me, but this was obviously too much to expect. When she did finally drag herself to the window she made me feel as if I was a burden to her, as if I had dragged her from doing something more interesting.
I was presented with a slip which I had to complete with a tick to denote my wife's eligibility for free prescriptions then sign and date. I inadvertently ticked the exemption box and was immediately rebuked for having done so being told my wife doesn't have a serious enough illness. I responded by reminding the assistant that she does in fact suffer with asthma, serious enough in my view to justify exemption from the ridiculous charges levied upon patients in England. Instead, my wife has a card which entitles her to free prescriptions based on our income, which I showed to the assistant who then told me to cross out the tick I had made and put another in the correct box.
I did feel like saying something to her about her attitude and general lack of customer service skill, but I refrained from doing so. Instead, I told her to 'have a nice day' and left, muttering under my breath. How different my experience could have been if she had acknowledged me and at least smiled. I am left in no doubt that Sutton Bridge Medical Centre is lacking the very basic in customer service and common courtesy. They have clearly forgotten that it is they who are providing a service. People are there, for the most part, not through choice but because they are unwell. They are in need of care, respect and at the very least, should be made to feel welcome. There is no excuse for rudeness and discourtesy, and for this reason Sutton Bridge Medical Centre win my award for 'Most Unfriendly Health Practise of the Year' award.

Recollections 2

I occasionally allow my mind to drift back. It's like trolling through rolls of old film and sometimes I surprise myself at the things I remember. As my son nears school age, I think of my own childhood junior school memories and how I dreaded the prospect of having to go and how I would try to find any way possible not to.
Back then, school was a dark and imposing place, full of children I didn't know and teachers who's job it was to shout and give me nightmares. I can remember the smells of school quite clearly. The musty odour of the classrooms and the smell of sand mixed with disinfectant whenever someone threw up.
I can remember the smell of the gym with its wooden climbing frames, ropes and green rubber mats. I can smell now the canteen and the aroma of custard, fish cakes and pies that heralded lunchtime. I recall the mixed smells of must and water-based paint as I think of art class. Even today, the smell of wood being worked takes me right back to the crafts workshops, filled with huge benches with alien-looking drills and wood dust everywhere.
The secretary's office used to smell of stationery - paper, ink and files. There was always a band printer - normally Gestetner - and this would smell of ink. If I was lucky, I was sometimes allowed to turn the handle and run-off a few hundred letters. Another one I remember is the smell of biscuits being made. This was a rare treat.
Pens had their own unique smell too. We used to use coloured felt-tips, made by Berol I think. They used to smell slightly fruity and sweet - especially the orange one.
The corridor leading to the headmaster's office used to smell of cigarettes. His name was Mr Purkis and he drove a tiny blue camper van. I think he was a very heavy smoker.
Instant coffee - now there's one I remember. Staff rooms would smell of instant coffee and cigarette smoke. I used to make the coffee for one of my teachers. Each time I have a Nescafe, I get taken back.
Occasionally, I'd catch a whiff of the world outside the gates. This would often be petrol or diesel fumes and would give me some sense of hope that I would eventually be free and that there was life elsewhere.
My son has all this to come. I hope he enjoys it more than I did. It's good to look back but at the time, oh how I hated it...