Entry for January 12, 2007

I had the day off work today to do a bit of research for the book, so I was off nice and early on the train to Glasgow Uni library. I wore my special floppy student hat to blend in with the locals.
I didn't have time for breakfast before I left, so by the time it got to about 11.30 this morning I was starving - the hard manual labour of photocopying Green's Weekly Digest for two hours will always work up an appetite. So, I headed out to the cafe in the Hunterian museum where I ordered a cup of coffee and spied a rather tasty looking buttered roll.
Here is my conversation with the surly Glasgow District Council Employe (SGDE) -
ME - Oooh. Could I have a buttered roll with that?
SGDE - No.
ME - Why not?
SGDE - We can only sell the rolls with soup.
ME - You can't sell me a roll? Really?
SGDE - We can only sell the rolls with soup!!!
ME - I won't tell anyone. Look I have money.
SGDE - If I sell you a roll, then we might not have enough rolls for the soup later on.
ME - You've got exactly enough rolls for the soup?
SGDE - Yes.
ME - Somebody calculated the soup/roll ratio?
SGDE - Yes.
(PAUSE)
ME - Ok. I'll have a portion of soup, with a roll but without the soup please.
(LONG PAUSE. SCOWLY FACE FROM SGDE)
SGDE - All right.
(I START TO EXIT VICTORIOUSLY WITH MY ROLL.)
SGDE - I hope you realise someone with soup will have to go without.