a fairground life (11th hour)

Tuesday
The phone rang, it was Italy calling, the shaft would take a week to make and then it would be sent. The cost was surprisingly cheap at 25 euro plus packaging as anything with a part number usually costs the earth ( if you built your car by ordering parts from the manufacturer it would probably cost about 10 times the price). So I ordered two. Delivery could be anytime, especially when you factor in "perfect world syndrome" so anytime before the new year will be a bonus! I called the engineer in Ireland again, he assured me he would be back Wednesday so I was to bring the old sample over (less the cut out bit) on Thursday for him to copy it.
Wednesday
*I decided to change my mobile network today. I have been with T-Mob for the last 7 years. No matter what I did, how ever I changed my plan, It would be ok for the first month then shoot back up to £100 plus per month. I honestly think they look up what you were good for and then charge you that regardless!!! I asked for a PAK code to transfer my number, then they tried to talk me back into staying with them- Wait a minute, why did you not offer me these goodies when I was A PREMIUM CUSTOMER???? why wait until I'm leaving?? No, No, this only proves my earlier theory, catch as catch can!!! So now I'm with 3.
Thursday
I phoned the engineer, you guessed it! He was still in Ireland. He said he would be back Friday, so I took the old shaft and left it at his machine shop with written instructions on sizes etc.
Friday
Phoned again. Yip, he is still in Ireland, something about a broken down train, "perfect world syndrome" kicks in again. Now I'm beat. The shaft to copy is out at his place and it is too late to try and find somewhere else. Then he suggests that I call his brother. This I do, but unfortunately his brother informs me he is going away tonight for the weekend and has a few jobs of his own to finish off. Almost begging I ask him if I can call him back to see if there is any chance. "call back at 7pm" he said, I thought well that is that the DZ will be closed until further notice.
So not dwelling on spilt milk, I go to buy another 3 phone, to replace my old pay as you go. I like gadgets so mobile web on the 3 network gets me interested. I bite the bullet and sign another contract for myself. This time I'm leaving Vodaphone. I only put voice packs into this pay as you go phone. At this time I had 55 minutes left on my vodaphone pack. I call to get another PAK code to port my number to 3. Now heres the thing, I get a message telling me I do not have any credit in my phone, I need to top up before I can contact the customer service center. It appears that by dialing 191 on my vodaphone handset with 55 anytime, any network minutes will not work on vodaphone network!! HOW STUPID IS THAT? So I went to the vodaphone shop and used their customer free phone. While I'm in a griping mood, fuel is up again, derv busts the £1 a liter mark , kero for heating the wagon and gas oil for the generator are also up! WE'RE AN OIL PRODUCING NATION FOR GODS SAKE!!!!!
7:14pm I call anyway just because I said I would. It rings out and the goes to answer service. I leave a short message and hang up. I guess he is away on that weekend break.
7:20pm The phone rings, I answer, "your shaft is done, I left it outside the shop door." Eureka!!! thanking him most zealously I hang up. Shortly after 10pm at night I have the shaft in my possession! That's the thing with family businesses, they have a conscience, if that were a big company, the employee would clock out at 5pm on the dot regardless of job completion or not and without a second thought.
Saturday
I fit the shaft, oh no! I was too complacent with the sizes by way of not double checking the length but guessing it and the shaft is 10mm out!!! Luckily it still fits and the 10mm error is overcome by way of a distance piece. Then a test run and we are back in business. Phew! Told you it was a "perfect world!"

* I got my first mobile back in 1989. My gran bought it for me after "r" spent a week in hospital without them knowing as we were attending fairs at opposite ends of Scotland. Two phones cost £1500 with a 12month contract at another £40 p/m each. They were about the size of a 5 liter can and weighed as much as a small car battery. A full charge lasted about 8hrs and talk time was about 40 mins at best. Mind you at £1 per minute you could not afford to talk that long and there was damn few to call anyway as no one else had a mobile yet! They were white with a black 6 inch ariel sticking out the top and would not of looked out of place on a battle field. When I carried it about I felt like 007. Coverage was patchy at best and that was in the cities!, suburbs - forget it. Even though, it was great and when I got into a fair at the last minute by using the phone (sitting on top of the lorry to get a reception) it paid for itself then and there with bonuses because I have earned from that fair for the last 19 years! I knew then and there it was a great product. SO WHY WHY WHY DID I NOT SCRAPE UP A £1000 from somewhere and invest it into a mobile phone company????? HOW MUCH WOULD THAT MONEY BE WORTH TODAY??? I suppose it is because you only know what you know and why most showmen will die showmen, me included. (being a showman is not a bad thing, I'm just saying that people only know what they know)