Q. This morning I queued for 20 minutes at Peter
Jones in the schoolwear department to buy five pairs of boys' socks and to exchange two sweatshirts. I then queued for about five or ten minutes to pay. Just as I was starting the transaction, a blonde Sloaney woman barged in, wanting to pay for her goods in cash. I ignored her and continued to explain to the assistant what I was exchanging and what I was buying. This woman persisted, 'But it's only £2.50.' I looked at her and said, 'No. Please don't waste my time,' at which she flounced off to another till saying at the top of her voice what a rude and impertinent lady I was. I was so embarrassed and annoyed to be made the villain of the piece. How would you have dealt with the situation and, more importantly, what do I say if I ever meet this pushy person at a drinks or dinner party?
A.H., London SW6 A. Thank you for your Pooterish query. By taking a protective stance on behalf of the assistant, saying, 'Oh, please don't muddle her. It's not fair when she's in the middle of a complicated negotiation, , 'you would have disarmed your rival customer and seen her wait her turn. Unfortunately, Peter Jones is 'never knowingly over-staffed', but those in the know select their goods in the overcrowded schoolwear department, then pay for them in the near-empty television and audio department on the same floor. You are unlikely to be at the same social gathering as the woman you mention, so the problem of what to say to her should not arise.
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