On Sunday I visited the Enfield store of Maplins for an ariel to boost my wifi but at home the connecting lead was incompatible with my router so on Monday morning, Independence Day, I took it back to Maplins in central London, the corner of The Strand and Waterloo bridge. This was the response “We can't do anything because of the state it's in.” I looked at the ariel I'd had for 16 hours. “So take it back to Enfield” he says “and speak to their manager”. Ugh. I said “why don't you talk to the manager in Enfield?' to which he said “I don’t have to be spoken to like that”.

I looked at his badge “Ali” it read “sales team leader”. I said “it is important for you to understand my question so I should say it again because it is a question. But firstly if you want apology then I apologise….” I had nothing to apologise about. I wanted my money back and to diffuse the tension. “….so I'll ask the question again in the best way I can 'why don't you call the manager in Enfield?'”. The man disappeared downstairs. He returned. “Sir” he said but it sounded like slur to me. “Sir. We can give your money back sir but we are taking ten percent off for the tear in the box. Sir”. His name is Ali. He is sales team leader at the Maplins store on the corner of The Strand and Waterloo Bridge. One day he will be store manager and that will show them. That will show them all.