Encounter this morning as I am driving the wrong way down my one-way street, alongside a series of road signs saying Road Closed – two-way traffic, and a man driving up the road gestures at me to get out of the road :

Me : “The road is closed.”

Him : “No it isn’t.”

Me : “Yes it is. There are Road Closed signs.”

Him : “No, it isn’t closed.”

Me : “I live here. I wanted to turn right. I couldn’t because of all the signs in the road.”

Him : No. It isn’t closed any more.” He gestures to a different part of the town.

Me : “It is Thames Water. They sent us a letter. They are connecting a water supply to (I name the place).”

His passenger : “It isn’t closed.”

Me : “You’ve just driven past signs saying Road Closed and Diversion.”

Him : tuts and shakes head an my unreasonable nature.

At this point I decided further debate would be fruitless. He moved aside so I could proceed and I chuckled as the large Thames Water truck with a digger on the back moved over so I could make my way.

These are the encounters that partly make me the way I am.