Now as many of you know, before writing this blog I used to do one of my own based upon my experiences running Orton Mere Station for fourteen years. I also did five short articles covering the first five years at the railway.
These are no longer on-line. However, I have commenced writing a book covering my almost 17 years on Nene Valley Railway. This will be published as an e-book and 50% of the profits will be donated to the railway.
Because of this I have been thinking back to some of the more, shall we say strange visitors I have never mentioned before in my musings and writings.
One which I must admit I had forgotten about came to mind. So here it is, on an average weekend running day.
It was a summer Saturday afternoon, and for once the sun was shining. I was in my normal position behind the counter guarding the till.
In walked this middle aged lady and without saying a word she took two Mars bars out of her pocket and slammed them down on the counter.
Looking at me she uttered a single word. “Refund.”
Looking at her with no doubt a look of disbelief on my face. I pointed out that she had not bought them from us.
She then informed me that she had bought them from a local shop not to far away but did not now want them. Then she also informed me that the shop in question had refused her a refund. Despite her telling me that she had made a scene in the shop in question.
So with distorted logic she decided that she would get a refund elsewhere, and joy of joys she had chosen Orton Mere Station.
She went a lovely shade of red as I informed her she would not see me refunding something I had not sold.
Thankfully I was not subject to a slanging match. Loudly she stated that we were providing lousy customer service. Then when I pointed out that actually she was not a customer she picked up the Mars bars whilst emitting a scream that sounded like dodgy brakes on a diesel and stormed out of the station. As she passed to rubbish bin she slung the Mars bars into it.
Me, I took a deep breath looked at the man standing the other side of the counter with an open mouth and uttered the immortal words.
“Yes what can I do for you?”
With a straight face he said “Got any Mars bars?”
We looked at each other for a few seconds then both burst out laughing.
It was just a normal day at Orton Mere.