Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve morning and the first few fares I picked up asked to be taken to a supermarket, thinking that they were going to get an early start with last minute Christmas shopping. None of them believed me when I told them that the stores didn't open until ten and eleven o'clock," but it's Christmas eve" they said "yes and it's a Sunday too" I explained. Some had lost track of the days with it being a holiday period, but others thought that the law should be changed to allow them to shop 24/7 every week of the year. Later on in the day I had a call to pickup at Furness Generals casualty dept, my fare was a young mother who fell whilst dancing with her seasonally overexcited son. She had managed to break her arm, but couldn't have it put in plaster because no plaster technician was available until after the holiday's. But from what she told me, even though it was only early evening vital medical staff were being tied up dealing with aggressive drunks and other time wasters. I say that we should charge anyone the full going rate, for any injuries they inflict upon themselves whilst drunk or drugged, and then perhaps we could afford to pay the plaster technician his vital overtime. And the last job of the day I couldn't help but overhear a couple in the back plotting how to open up their Christmas crackers and and get rid of any noisy gifts before before the kids pulled them. ( the picture is of the first upside down Christmas tree I have spotted, this is in the foyer of Abbey house)