Swedish Warehouse

This week I had to deliver some paperwork to Stupidlink, inconvenient as that is, as I refuse to go to my local office, I have to go by car to an office in another area. Clearly, I don’t have to go very often, but as I refuse to do this stuff on-line (wanting people to have actual jobs) I had to go in.

My friend (not sure she wishes to be named) Jane told me she would read her book (while seated in her car directly in front of the office) Handicapped parking permit finally something about a permanent disability that pays off.

Stupidlink on Monday around 2.30pm was rather spartan in this neighbourhood and has undergone renovations at front of house since last, I was there.

There is no longer a reception desk and a queue. There is now a staff who comes out with an iPad to take your CRN (Customer Reference Number) and to put you in an electronic queue. There is just one woman standing to one side at the lectern type desk, who literally does the same thing on an iPad on the desk.

As I was discussing whether it was worth waiting an hour to give my forms to someone else and book my JCA (Job Capacity Assessment) appointment or just give her the forms and be on hold later in the week.

The argument internally, was that I could be much more productive at home on hold to Stupidlink on speaker than sitting there when Jane came in from behind and cuddled up behind me.

There was a time friends would do this a lot and get away with it. But at first, I wasn’t sure who it actually was. The voice said “Just wondering how long you would be?”

The staff member looked at me strangely, Jane moved around to my right side so I could see her and she repeated her question stating she needed to go to Ikea as it was close by.

I think my eyes very much expressed how little I wanted to wait there when she would be visiting my favourite shop to visit in that vicinity.

I told her I would go with her. Because as I said to the staff member “you cannot say the word Ikea and expect me not to want to go too.”

Of course, we left and three days later, of course they had not yet scanned in the entered documents I had delivered and they had damn well better. (I did keep copies, just in case obviously).

Off to the Swedish Warehouse we go. I no longer do the showroom, if I can help it. What’s the point? Noelle states it perfectly, she hates any shop she can’t find her way out of. We entered through the checkouts (they must hate us.) and headed into the “scratch and dirt seconds’ area” and after a little browsing we found an orchid.

They were practically giving them away. Jane had picked it up, discovered one flower stalk was broken and had put it down and moved on. I had indicated I really wanted it. There were a few other people quietly moving around checking out the other great finds.

In controlled areas that are not busy I will walk without relying on my walking stick, leaning it to dangle by my wrist. I called after Jane and said “What’s that? I can have it if I can carry it?”

She and the other people (not that many) had a little chuckle. I confess to say I do like to rescue plants from their gardening level as it’s completely indoors with no natural light.

So that orchid now lives on my kitchen window ledge. Jane bought some doors and bookcases and I really hope she didn’t require an Alan-Key.