Kim wanted me to add an extra shelf to one of my home-made book shelves as her last visit to the second-hand book sale had over-stocked the storage. I didn`t have a long enough plank, so we called in at a local building materials depot, which is perhaps more used to providing larger quantities. I had the measurements of my plank, 15cm by 2cm by a metre. You don`t go to the counter in this establishment, you seek out the wood-man in the warehouse Did he have such a plank, I asked. Eurr, oui He walked to where a few odd lengths of wood were lying on a pallet and selected a length. A metre long? He led the way to a huge circular saw and cut off a metre. 15cm wide? Another saw cut a strip off the side of the plank. It`s a bit thick, I thought but it would do. But no.. 2cm thick? A third saw cut the plank down to the correct thickness.... You can pass to the caisse now, monsieur I will phone my colleague.
The office is on the other side of the main road, really nothing to stop you driving away but I suppose nobody does. The chap behind the desk looked a bit puzzled and said he could not localise the plank in his computer, no surprise there! Tell you what, monsieur, just pay what you think, no bill. I found a fiver in my wallet. Parfait, magnifique, au revoir, bonne journée. France is different, isn`t it?
Bye for now, time for bed. Night night
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