Today was the BIG DAY, the day which would add yet another nail and be an everlasting reminder of being a miserable old git. I went to get my Bus Pass.

As with everything in life, the day went about as smoothly as a Grand Airport opening Gala.
First I had to print off the Application Form which is on the Local Borough Councils Website. This bemused me as it said 2007/8. After a scan through the following wording, I found a bit which said that owing to the new Application procedure not arriving from the Central Government Base, we could use last years form.
This actually means that no one knows how to open a Word Document and change the 7 to 8 and the 8 to 9.

Never mind, off I go.

The next part of my exciting day led me to a Department Store to have my Photograph taken. This was interesting as it’s only when you sit down inside the thing that you can see the Instructions which start off with ‘1. Go inside and Sit down’.
The last time I had one of these done, it took 4 photo’s and you sat there fighting a sudden itchy nostril trying not to blink at the same time.
It was only after I heard the sound of something dropping in the tray outside that I realised it had in fact finished.

So off to the Council Office. I know how hard these poor Receptionists work and have genuine sympathy for all the hassle they get off some people, so I made myself known with appropriate smile and greeting.
I gave her the Form and Photographs. Oh dear, as it happened, I didn’t have a pair of Scissors on me and this obviously caused great concern from the other side of the highly polished Formica Desk Top.

I thought I’d break the ice a bit, “Now, you may have a problem here. My photograph in the Passport is actually 6 years old and since then I’ve had some new teeth put in and that’s why I look younger than I did then”.
Oh well, it was worth trying and it was 2pm. “It’ll take approximately 3 weeks Mr. Cannon. Should you in that time have to make any Bus Journeys, your fares will be re-imbursed in return of a valid ticket”.

Easy, that was it. It would seem I came over to her as someone who’d escaped for the afternoon and this was confirmed to her when I walked out the wrong door and found myself in an Architects Office. I couldn’t help it, it was the same coloured door and anyhow, he was probably only designing a new Public Toilet with an admission fee of £3.50.

I was quite happy about getting that done and in joyous celebration, spent some of my £5 spending money on a Mint Aero which was a mistake because they took it out of a Fridge and I couldn’t chew it.

When I got home I opened a letter from my Pension Company. Good news, I’ve had a 2.5% cost of living increase. Hurrah, then I thought about how much it cost to fill my Car up with Petrol on the way home.

Doesn’t quite add up all this does it!