*winklepickers

Amnesty International

I looked in my old texts and found this one. I wrote it in 2006. It was addressed to my children. I always refer to their father as Pa.


"The other day I did something that made Pa laugh and he keeps pulling my leg about it.

The supermarket had sales on. In a big bin I saw some nice sheets at 4€ each. I bought two. There were four left. Over lunch Pa said to buy all the others so at 2 o’clock I went along to get them. There was one left and a fitted bottom sheet I hadn’t noticed. I also saw a big towel and decided to look at the towel counter for any other bargains. There were some nice bright patterned towels at a good sale price so I took six. There were also lots of different coloured flannels, well “gants,” and as they were cheap I got some as well.

When I got home with my trophies I showed them to a mesmerized Pa and we counted out what there was: two sheets, one lavender towel with a few bits of cotton pulled out which I have cut off, six bright towels at 3€50 each from an original price of 6€50 a good bargain. Then I looked at another price ticket under the original one. It was marked 3€90! Hum! There was a swindle in the air and I had only saved 40 centimes on each towel. Well too bad, they are nice. I decided to complain and ask for an explanation.

Then … we counted the “gants” and I realised that I had bought twenty of them! Twenty!
They were in bundles of three for 2€ and there were a few others. I must have lost my wits. We can’t even give some away, you folk don’t use any. So we probably have enough for the rest of our lives. Mind you by that time they will have really been a bargain!
Oh dear!

I did ask why the towel prices were a muddle. I was told a queer story which didn’t make much sense so I let it go."


"Gants" are to wash your face. In France they are made so you can put your hand inside.