there are days and there are days…..on this particular day, recently, i was not exactly fizzing with life, in fact i was positively mrs. hot and bothered from barnes. in a big way. sometimes, it’s just the little things that get you, isn’t that true? there’s a small shop in a side street in east sheen which sells unusual bathroom accessories and other interesting bits and pieces, door knobs, number signs, door furniture, that sort of thing, where over years i have spent quite a lot of money in my capacity as property developer and interior designer. three years ago, prior to moving to azerbaijan as an expat, i had somehow managed to accrue a credit note for the not exactly princely sum of £14.99 which had no date limit and, as i believed, came attached with plenty of goodwill towards me as a good customer. now, back in blighty, i needed to replace one cupboard knob for the grand old price of £4.99. they had it, i bought it and handed over said credit note. oh my word, the bad grace in which this was eventually accepted after several visits to the shop and some heavy negotiation on my part, was quite something. i was very rudely snapped at by the grumpy bulldog like owner and forced to exchange all my credit’s worth at once because, apparently, she could not do business with someone like me. off i trotted with two spare cupboard knobs i didn’t need, thunder in my heart, contemplating the shortsightedness of this business owner and totting up the completely negligible interest that may have accrued over three years, i was that cross! needless to say, next time i’ll take my custom somewhere else!