In the UK, “high-caffeine energy drinks” cannot be sold to under 16s. I use the automated checkout with my age-restricted drink, though there is always a member of staff by the eight or so automated checkouts to deal with issues and glitches. Taking this drink through them has never been an issue before, and I don’t really want to queue for a manned checkout for a few items.

I scan my shopping and wait as the light is flashing red and the screen is telling me that age verification is needed.

A minute or so goes by, and the person usually there is nowhere to be seen. I look over to the closest manned checkout, which now has no queue.

Cashier #1: “Sorry, can’t help you, love. Have to stay here.”

Another minute later, I wave at the cashier.

Cashier #1: “Look, just wait. It’s only been a few minutes.”

Cashier #2: *Walking past* “Oh, sorry. Not sure who is supposed to be here. I’ll see if I can find someone. What’s the issue? [Drink]? Yeah, I’ll get someone to come over.”

Me: “Can’t you verify it? I have ID if you need to see that.”

That’s normally not needed; they take one look at me and swipe an employee code of some kind, and the machine knows I’m old enough. I’m twenty-five.

Cashier #2: “Nah, sorry, gotta find who it’s supposed to be.”

She ambles off slowly.

I wait another minute or so and then give up. I would have given up sooner, but it is pouring with rain so I don’t mind waiting inside in the hope that the rain will ease off a bit. But now, it’s taken two people over five minutes to do nothing, one of whom hasn’t served anyone else in that time.

As I leave, abandoning my four or five items at the checkout, I hear [Cashier #1].

Cashier #1: “Bloody cheek. Leaving it for someone else to deal with now she doesn’t want it, I suppose.”

Me: “I do want it, but I can’t pay because of the [Drink], and I can’t cancel the drink because that requires a member of staff, too, and there isn’t anybody there.”

Cashier #1: “So that’s my fault, is it? That you’re too lazy to stand still and wait?”

I just walked out.

As I looked back, I saw [Cashier #1] get up and cancel my items with the employee swipe code, so she could have done that the whole time. I’ve not been back since.

I’m outside the front of my house pruning some of the plants. It’s a bit of a job, although it is a tiny bit of land; reaching the back is impossible.

I’m sweeping up the clippings when a man I’ve never seen before approaches me.

Man: “You can do mine next, if you like?”

I laugh as I think he’s joking, but his expression tells me otherwise.

Me: “Oh, you’re serious. No, sorry, mate. I don’t do this for a living.”

Man: “You have all the tools and I don’t. Come on! Be neighbourly.”

Me: “I don’t know you, ‘neighbour,’ and these tools are cheap enough. Go buy your own.”

Man: “Don’t be a d**k! Come on, or let me borrow them.”

He reaches for the shears in my hand. I pull them away from him.

Me: “Get lost.”

Man: “Whatever, I’ll just come back and take them.”

Thankfully, I have a video doorbell that he was standing right in front of. I passed the video on to the police and they said they would investigate. I never heard from or saw the man again.

We nearly didn’t buy our current house. It had sat on the market for months as it was majorly overpriced. It needed some work, and it didn’t help that the owners had made very personal touches in decor.

We viewed it and the owner gave the tour, harping on about how “exclusive” her horrible kitchen was and how she was remiss, leaving the “dated and chipped” bathroom tiles. She rationalised every neon colour, as if it was the rate museum.

We made a reasonable offer and it was declined. We made another offer. It was declined.

Me: “I’m happy to just walk away from this one.

Wife: “I think we could make our money back in the restoration.”

We talked it over and I agreed, so we made an asking price offer (subject to survey).

This was eventually accepted and I instructed the survey. What I was not expecting was a major list of issues to come back with structural problems.

We talked to the agent and they talked to the owner, who was suspiciously not shocked by this major news. The agent apologised massively and asked if we wanted to withdraw the offer.

What both of them didn’t realize was that we planned to remove all of the problem wall and windows in the renovation, so we made a new offer, lower than the first. It was accepted, and within the first three months of living there, we extended and brought the house back up to standard.

During the lockdown, many of us in our area put out old toys, books, games, etc., in front of the house for free. It makes for a nice community spirit and it’s a good way to de-clutter.

I have just taken in the empty box after the second load of items was taken, and I hear a knock on the door. It wouldn’t be the first time someone had done so to thank us; once, a small child wanted to give us a gift in return.

I open the door to see a woman in her late thirties, on her phone with a hand on her hips and a face full of attitude.

My sense of community spirit is draining fast as I can feel where this is going.

Woman: “You had a book out front; where is it?”

Me: “I put lots of books outside. I imagine someone took it.”

Woman: “My son needs it.”

Me: “That’s a shame. Someone else took it.”

Woman: *Sighs dramatically* “You aren’t worth the time.”

She strutted off. I decided to leave it a day or two before gifting more items, as I couldn’t believe the entitlement of some people.

I visit my local cinema with three friends in 1975 when the film “Jaws” is first released in the UK. A few minutes after the four of us settle into our seats, a group of rowdy teenage girls arrive, one of whom keeps up an incessant, inane chatter in a loud voice from the moment she walks in.

She natters non-stop while other people are coming in and sitting down. She natters while the adverts were showing. She makes immature comments about the people and items being advertised.

Finally, the credits for the main feature start, but she is still prattling on in her loud voice. When the title of the film appears on screen, she says in a loud questioning, surprised type of voice:

Girl: “JAWS?”

Me: *Shouting* “Yes, like you’ve got!”

Everyone within earshot burst out laughing. After that, we never heard another peep from her.