A Christmas Tale

A reader has a "trying" experience in a carpark.

I had done so well till then, buying all the items I wanted around the various shops. Now my feet were hurting and back aching. I was tired, cold and hungry as I returned to my car. "Oh joy!"; I was wedged in by two totally inconsiderate motorists, parked about three inches away from each side of my car. The doors couldn't be opened at all. I unlocked the boot, sat on the rim and waited for these neighboring drivers' return. Naturally no one appeared to claim the two offending cars. After about half an hour, angry and harassed I decanted my mountain of shopping back onto the car park verge.

Now I will admit it, I'm a large woman. Nevertheless, struggling furiously and with great difficulty, I climbed into the boot and firstly over the back, then the front seats. It really was most undignified. I tried to ignore any passersby and those people sitting in their cars, laughing at the size of my bottom stuck in the air and knees jammed under my steering wheel.

Eventually, red faced, breathless and perspiring, limbs finally untwined and I reversed out, repacked the shopping and journeyed home exhausted. All in all, I think I did really well for someone of my age and size, but never, never, ever again will I shop in Holt just before Christmas.

Seasonal greetings and good luck to alt Christmas shoppers this year, except those two drivers who caused my problem.

A Whittington Reader.