You have been warned....

I was warned by K and D not to bother with the Post Office in Esperaza as place to put savings. The bloke there took their will to live away - go straight to Limoux, they said.  But its close and the bloke rang me to make a convenient appointment so off I set.

To contextualize this a little, I have some dosh that has to be spread over the next x years and should remain accessible for emergencies. Im uncomfortable with putting it under the bed, so I started with the Credit Agricole; the bloke l saw  there didn't speak a word of English but we happily sorted out what schemes were available and I told him I'd think about it and went off to the post office  meeting.

The bloke there said he spoke English but preferred not to. An ominous start but fair enough. Then he moved into what can only be described as a Monty Python sketch;
PO: What a pretty name
me: Thank you
PO You have your passport?
me: here is my passport
PO: What a pretty name
me: thank you
Starts to photocopy my passport
me: Why are you photocopying my passport?
PO: I have to photocopy your passport
me: But I only what to know what interest you pay savers
PO Have you got a household bill?
me: Yes, why?
..................... on and on, until he confessed that he was opening an account for me at the post office.
HE WOULD NOT TELL ME THE RATE OF INTEREST ON A SAVINGS ACCOUNT UNTIL I HAD AN ACCOUNT THERE
.......... we press on.
me: Here are EDF bills, Tax Fonciere bills, Tax d'habitation bills
PO: Why have you got two names?
me: One is my maiden name, one my married name
PO: Where is your certificate of marriage?
me: Here is my certificate of marriage.
PO What is the date?

Actually I don't think I can carry on. I did loose the will to live as K and D had said I would. The man started asking the same questions over and over as if to test my memory and when I told him that all my work accounts were with my accountant (having said that my work was irrelevant, though needing my Siret, Siren and SS numbers -) he started the process over again. What a pretty name.

So I got my papers together and stood up and said 'if you don't want my money, I'm leaving.'
PO: But we do want your money.
me: ----but Ive had enough

Opening the door, I found a packed post office had been paying full attention with their mouths open. I touched my forehead, rolled my eyes and left.
                                               l'll probably be run out of town today.

So, I missed the town party for the retired people but Im sure it was a gas!!
Bob back tomorrow. Time to deck the halls with boughs of holly. Here's Lily, looking for someone to bite.