Hater Read Free Page B

less time clamping people and more time making sure that public amenities are in proper working order. The only reason I had to park at bloody Leftbank Place was because the public toilets in Millennium Square have been vandalised! My son has a bowel condition. I didn't have any choice. He couldn't wait any longer.'
    'There must have been other toilets…' I begin to say, instantly regretting having opened my mouth. Christ I hate this job. I wish I was back dealing with rubbish collections, rat infestations or even broken street lamps again. My biggest problem is that it sounds like this woman has been genuinely hard done by and I'd probably have done exactly the same as she did if I'd been out with my kids. It sounds like she's got a fair point and there's nothing I'd like to do more than call off the clampers but I don't have the authority. My options now are bleak; follow procedures and get yelled at again by this lady or get yelled at by Tina Murray if I don't do things by the book. Chances are I'm going to cop it from both of them. Before she can react to my stupid comment I try and cover it up. 'I understand what you're saying, Madam, but…'
    'Do you?' she screams, this time loud enough to wake the baby in the pushchair who starts to whimper and moan. 'Do you really? I don't think you do, because if you did understand you'd be on the phone to someone right now getting that bloody clamp removed from my car so that I can get my children home. They're cold, they're hungry and…'
    'I need to just…'
    'I don't want excuses, I want this dealt with.'
    She's not going to listen. This is pointless. She isn't even going to give me a chance.
    'Madam...'
    'I suggest you go and speak to your superiors and find someone who's prepared to take responsibility for this shoddy mess and come and sort it out. I was forced to park at Leftbank Place because of this council's inefficiencies. I have a son who has a medical condition and I needed to get him to the toilet urgently. If the council had done their job properly in the first place and had made sure the public toilets were in full working order then I wouldn't have been parked there, I wouldn't have been clamped and I wouldn't be stood here now talking to someone who clearly can't or won't do anything to help me. I need to speak to someone who's a little higher up the chain of command than the receptionist so why don't you do us both a favour and go and find someone who is actually prepared to do something before my son needs to use the toilet again.'
    Patronising bitch. I stand and stare at her, feeling myself getting angrier and angrier. But there's nothing I can do…
    'Well?' she snaps.
    'Just give me a minute, madam,' I stammer. I turn and storm back into the office and walk straight into Tina coming the other way.
    'What are you doing in here, Danny?' she asks, her tone of voice as patronising as the woman outside. 'If you're in here, who's manning Reception?'
    She knows full well there's no-one out there. I try and explain but I know it's pointless.
    'I've got a lady out in Reception who…'
    'You should have telephoned through if you needed help,' she interrupts. 'You know the rules, you've been here long enough now. There should always be someone at the Reception desk and you should always telephone through if you have a problem.'
    'There is someone at the Reception desk,' I sigh, 'and she's having a real go at me so can I tell you what her problem is please?'
    She looks up at the clock. Damn, it's gone five. I'll probably be stuck at the station until six now.
    'Make it quick,' she sneers, making it sound as if she's doing me a favour.
    'This lady has been clamped because she parked at Leftbank Place…'
    'Tough! You can't park at Leftbank Place. There are bloody big signs up everywhere telling you not to park at Leftbank Place.'
    This isn't getting any easier.
    'I know that, you know that and she knows that. That's not the issue.'
    'What do you mean, that's not the