Do you work here?

Do you work here?

I looked up, expecting to see a WHSmith employee in the vicinity. There wasn't. There was a rather tall, apparently well off, and obviously foreign woman looking at me. I looked down at my distinctly non-WHSmith uniform-like university hoody.

No. I shook my head, and went back to my search for No. 10 staples. (Tip - don't buy WHSmith's cheapest stapler - mine broke within about a week - but now I have it and it's semi-mended I figure I may as well use it. You can guarantee that now I've put staples in it it will die again).

About a minute later...

Do you know Rymans?

I looked up at the tall, upper class, foreign woman.

Yes, it's just around the corner I replied - expecting that she wanted directions.

What is it? At this point I paused... I was stood in the stationery section of a store that sells, primarily, stationery. I was being asked about another stationery shop as though perhaps it might sell... fast food... or jewellery.

It's a stationery shop. Just around the corner. Right over there. A bit more expensive perhaps, but a bigger range.

And then she started to ask me about their stock!!

Some people just amaze me. No, I am not a shop employee. No, I am not a little old lady who tried to start to chat with you. I am a student, in a uni hoody, which clearly says University of X on it, who is clearly looking for some staples. Why in goodness' name should you think I'm a good person to ask about the printer cartridge selection of Ryman's?!