When I used to work I was always told to be polite to people. Not to answer back, the customer was always right. To smile even when you did not want to. I was a gardener twice, for different places. Then I worked for a wallpaper shop, also a florist. After that I worked at Woolworths, the branch no longer standing. I worked at Woolworths ‘til I was twenty one then left because I’d found a new job. I’d been with the firm for five years. My new job was at John Williams. I worked there for over five and a half years, then someone took it over and it shut down. We all worked until we had to leave. This was staggered and by the back end of the year, when my time came, I was getting married. I was fortunate enough to get a job straight away but on a lower wage. Wages were cash in the hand in those days. The following June I left as I was having our first child. There’s lots to do for new Mums. When my daughter was over 2 years old I did a bit of evening work (Bingo), awful work. I then got bronchitis so left my part time work to bring up my 2 children.

Today I have been shopping so I decided to have tea and a teacake. I looked at the clock, it said 11.30. I knew I had time before they stopped serving teacakes, so taking the moving staircase I went up to the upper floor. I queued quietly, as one does, awaiting my turn. It came and I asked for a toasted teacake and a cup of tea. The woman with with mad eyes: ‘No teacakes!’ I nodded to the clock rather puzzled at this as it was not 11.45, the time they stopped serving teacakes. Woman with mad eyes: ‘Shall I fetch the manager?’ Leaning over the counter as if to throttle me. Manager: ‘No teacakes because the coffee machine has broken down.’ I couldn’t believe what was happening. The woman claimed they were short staffed, the manager said he had to help which as a manager he should not have done. I only asked for a teacake. They wondered if I wanted a custard instead. I replied quietly but still in shock at the woman with the mad eyes atitude; ‘If my husband had been with me he would have walked out.’

If I was not a pensioner I would not work for such a firm.