Letter to the Times

A recent letter to the Times bemoaned the habit of businesses addressing potential customers by their first names and I felt obliged to reply as follows:

Sir,

Mr.Muir (22nd Feb) has my full support when asking for a civilised approach to modes of address.

In the late 1940s, fresh out of the Forces, I had occasion to visit my local GP. .

He greeted me with "Yes Goldstein, what can I do for you ?" to which I tartly replied "If you've no objection, I'd prefer being addressed as Mr.Goldstein or Ron"

To his credit, he laughed, said "Sorry about that, I was an MO until recently and old habits die hard" and it was always Mr.Goldstein from then on.

Ron (to my friends only) Goldstein

Not a complaint but just HAD to post this !

I am in the throes of planning a holiday later this year.

I like to look at the inummerable forums that exist to help the wary traveller and have just come across this item on VirtualTourist.com.

Enjoy !

Recommended taxi driver in Phnom Penh - Mr Tim
Posted: Wed February 21 13:29:21 2007 UTC

I would like to take this opportunity to recommend Mr Tim, a very humble and honest taxi driver while you are in Phnom Penh. He can take you to and fro the airport (USD7 one way) and bring you to the famous sightseeing spots (USD25 per day. Yuo can contact him on 855 12 388147.

He is a model citizen of the country.

On the contrary, be careful of taxi driver Vong Sam-Aung from Siem Reap, taxi no A35 (reg no 2A-2843). He's a cheat! Charged us USD15 for a bus ticket to Phnom Penh when the actual cost is only USD10, and there were 4 of us! He offered to buy for us and cheated us USD20 extra on top of the USD25 fee we paid him for his one day transport service. He is a shame to Cambodia. Be careful of this person!

I am now an official G O M

Thank you Peter,
I am now on the lst once more.
Can I now post a story called
I Hate Blogs.

Your friendly local bank

The Manager
NatWest
12 The Broadway
Southgate
London N14 6QF 3rd April 2002

Account No:

Dear Ms.xxxxxxxxx

On the 5th of February this year I had occasion to write to you concerning the embarrassment faced by myself (and I am sure other customers) when drawing cash from your counters. I felt this was largely due to the fact that Natwest are forever changing counter staff and this has resulted in my never being recognized as a customer despite the fact that I have been with Natwest for fifty-three years.

On February the 12th you replied to me setting out the reasons for the cashiers actions and suggesting that if I wished to avoid further problems I should present my Switch card at the time of my cash withdrawal.

Fair enough, I thought ……..until today.

This morning I turned up at the bank to draw my normal monthly cash requirements and not wishing to have anyone query my identity I made certain that I presented with my ‘pay cash’ cheque my Natwest Switch Card.
To my astonishment the young lady cashier then asked me to sign the cheque again as, in her words, ‘she had not seen me sign the cheque in her presence.

I pointed out to her that it was precisely to avoid this situation that I was presenting my Switch Card and with bad grace agreed to re-sign the back of the cheque to get her to pay out my money.

After completing my transactions I spoke to your Customer Service Officer, a Ms.xxxxxxxxxx who very courteously confirmed that the cashiers were only carrying out Natwest instructions and even suggested that I could bring a passport with me as additional proof of identity !

If Natwest are now saying to me now do not sign the cheque until you present it to the cashier then I would be obliged if you set this out in a notice displayed above your counter so that mere mortals like myself know the rules that you are laying down before you decide to pay us out our own money.

Yours sincerely

R.Goldstein