My fare on Walney didn't seem to want to come out and so I got out and knocked on the door. The door was opened by frail looking ould lass using a walking frame, who asked me to wait whilst she got ready to go. Ten minutes later and she was ready to go and so I helped her as she struggled at a snail's pace up the path and into the cab. This took another ten minutes and then she told me that she needed to be at Furness General hospital, which is five miles away for an appointment in ten minutes time.
By the time we had negotiated the heavy traffic she was already a few minutes late when we pulled up outside. It would have taken her at least another fifteen minutes to make her way down the long corridor to the orthopaedic department, and so I decided to go the extra mile for the poor ould dear. So risking a parking ticket I double parked and found a wheelchair to take her and her Zimmer down myself. Parking her in the waiting area I handed her appointment card in and went back over to her to be paid the fare. "Seven pounds please" I asked politely, and was answered with a blank stare. I asked again explaining that it was for the taxi fare. "They're paying it" she replied pointing vaguely in no particular direction. "Who are they?" I asked baffled, only to be told again and again that "they were paying it." By this time the roomful of waiting patients were starting to take an unhealthy interest. The fifth time I asked for the fare I realised that I was getting nasty looks from the now hostile crowd, which told me that they thought I was a nasty man mugging a poor frail old lady, and so cutting my losses I beat a hasty retreat empty handed. Aye well I guess you win some and you lose some, it all comes out in the wash, but I would still love to know who "they" were.
5 comments:
I bet that she knew exactly what she was doing. Crafy old biddy!
peggy: Maybe so or maybe she was confused, but it was still an awkward position to be placed in.
If you're disabled or elderly often you can claim your travel fare back and appointment letters will say something along those lines.
You are supposed to either, fill out a form which the driver submits through their taxi firm, or get a receipt from the driver and submit that yourself.
I suspect your fare honestly thought someone else would pay for her trip and didn't realise that you would be out of pocket. If it happens again it is probably worth going to the relevant department and asking them about it.
morningstar: you are probably right but is it worth the hassle of chasing after it?
It might not be this time, but at least you're forewarned if there is a next time.
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