Monday, July 02, 2012

A Good Life On The Cards

Well I'm now 60 + 1 week and I have to say I've not noticed much difference in my physical abilities. I can still work the tv remote, raise the foot rest on my chair and go to the bathroom unaided.

Mind you the first is helped by batteries, the second by electricity and so only the third is all my own work, so to speak.

And on that topic, today I got a letter from the NHS telling they'd be sending me a home testing kit within the next 2 weeks as part of their bowel cancer screening programme. Lovely.

Yes indeed, it's grand being 60.

A few days ago I went to town and got my LeedsCard60 card. This allows me to get senior discounts at loads of local places, reduced entry to movies and best of all, to play golf for only £8.40 a round.

Actually the movie discount doesn't need the card but it'll be useful to prove I am, in fact, over 60 as clearly my youthful looks belie my advanced years. As part of my 2 day birthday celebrations, Stephen and Daphne took me to see Prometheus 3D and it was only when the ticket guy mentioned the total price that I remembered to say...."oh wait, I'm a senior."

He wasn't too happy amending the price and I was sure he'd ask for proof but before I could whip out my card, it was all over and done with. That annoyed me a bit as 1) I didn't get to use my nice new card and 2) he obviously thought I WAS over 60 !!

Pah !

I do find I'm using the age thing as a bargaining tool. Just today I sent an email to Currys/PC World and mentioned my senior status to try and get a bit of sympathy.

The backstory : on May 17th I bought a new 47" 3D smart LED tv. I may have mentioned it a few times before ! Anyway it came with a leaflet for a "Cash For Goals" offer where after registering online, I'd get £10 for every goal scored by England in the Euro 2012 footy tournament.

I know, not exactly a life changing deal !

Anyway I registered and then waited till today, July 2nd, when I had to verify things in order to get the dosh. To verify, I had to use a link on the confirmation email they sent out within 3 days of my registering. That's when the problem arose. I'd never received that confirmation email.
At least I don't remember getting it (but you know MY memory) and to add to the problem, I'd forgotten all about needing it till today.

So I searched all my email folders - no joy. I even checked Virgin Media's mail servers for emails I'd deleted off my laptop - no joy.

The terms and conditions clearly stated that 'they' were not responsible for any missing emails and no further correspondence would be entered into.

Woe was me......£50 down the drain.

But wait. I'm a senior now. Gotta be worth a try, yes ? Hell yes.

So I emailed them and told my story. Big purchase, paid cash, registered in time....blah, blah, blah. MAY have received the confirmation email but didn't believe so. Then played my joker.....and I'm a senior to whom £50 is a lot of money.

I realised this probably wasn't the time to use this technique as, after all, I'd just told them I'd paid £1200 cash for the product ! Oh well.

A couple of hours later my phone rang. It was Currys/PC World customer services. They wanted my email address so they could send me another confirmation email !

Result !

Would I have got this treatment if I'd not mentioned my senior status ? Who knows. But I'm claiming it as a victory for age related complaints.

So I'm all fired up now. I wanna be out there getting discounts, cheap rounds of golf and the God given ability to call young people whippersnappers.

But I have to be careful. My usual dress code of jeans, trainers and a fleeced hoodie may make it hard to believe I'm a senior.

Just as well I have my LeedsCard60 then !

4 comments:

Jennytc said...

You do realise that, from now on, you will have to dress in beige slacks and showerproof zipped jacket from Greenwoods!! Oh, and those seventies style polo shirts. ;)

JeannetteLS said...

I've not bounced around on the blogs I follow lately. Well, turns out we have the same birthday, same year and all.

The only thing I noticed, that quite surprised me was that when the event actually occurred, my fairly recent attitude of "I don't give a ... hoot" about most anything anyone thinks of me intensified. Not sure why, but I'm quite enjoying it.

I've not tried the "I'm old" approach--though your wording is more tactful. Not out of vanity. I just didn't think of it. Well done.

Please, do not do the polo shirts, although I do not recall that being a seventies phenomenon in the seventies. What I remember was the sudden influx of polyester pants suits and big jewelry after 1975. It quite frightened me.

All the best for our next decade.

rhymeswithplague said...

In some parts of Florida, as you well know, jeans, trainers, and a fleeced hoodie could get you killed. I'm just sayin'.

Better to opt for the oltimers' peacock look if and when you return to the States. Loud plaid neon pants, fuschia or tangerine shirt, white belt, white shoes, I'm sure you know the drill.

Congratulations on your 50 pounds windfall.

Silverback said...

Thanks for the comments.

Bob, yes hoodies tend to be associated with listless 'up to no good' teens here rather than gun wielding gang members. But when I ever wear that typical Florida dress code on or off the golf course, feel free to get one of those US hoodies to shoot me !

Most Recent Awards

Most Recent Awards