Adrift Again

Travelling around the country for work as I do, offers plenty of opportunities to experience my own failings and that of others – luckily, I have the ability to move on quickly and rarely have the need to revisit the scene of previous mishaps, of which there are many.

For example I can never return to that Premier Inn where my electric razor went off in my overnight bag as I was trying to check in, and the bag gently vibrated across the check-in desk in front of the young receptionist.

… I can never return to that customer where I made a complete mess of training identical twins, dressed the same and with names so similar (there was only 1 letter different).

… or the one where I parked illegally, got clamped and had to ask politely if they could ring security to release me.

… I can never return to that customer who asked me if I’d “like a drink?”, to which I replied that “a water would be lovely”, only to find that she brought me a clear glass of boiling hot water from the kettle!!

I had no idea what to say to her. Did she really dislike me that much? Was she intentionally trying to scold me or was drinking a glass of boiling hot water perfectly normal in this part of the country?

Naturally I did the only suitable thing a Drifter would do, smile politely and say thank you before waiting for it too cool down.

… and then there was ‘that situation’ when I replied to an email from a colleague, telling him to inform an awkward customer that I had “left the country!” only to suddenly realise that I had copied the customer in!!!!!!

This story can be heard read by Annabel Port in Episode 66 of the Adrift podcast