What I used to do in this situation would be to give the customer £7.95 and ask then to get the remaining £10 from me when we get to Paignton. But on the 09:33 run to Paignton it is unlikely that I will take 10 pence never mind £10. The reason is it has just gone 9:30 and the free bus passes* can be used and I am the first bus out of Torquay they can be used on and I know there will be free bus passes* at every stop between here and Paignton and even though I will carry 40 passengers or more the £2.05 will probably be the only fare I will take.
Today was slightly different, as I was counting out the change, I had exhausted the pound coins and the fifty pence pieces and was most of the way through the 20 pence pieces and could see I would have to get down to the ten pence’s, a family of 5 boarded the bus. Mother was holding 3 five pound notes and has seen what was going on and was waving them about, “Are these any use?” She wanted a family day explorer, £16.00. The change was spared. Some times the gods do smile on bus drivers.
The photo is of the Clock Tower on the old Town Hall. It gets wound up every week but the council have discovered holes in the roof that could let rain in that may get in the electrics and the volunteer winder could be electrocuted and might sue the council. So no one may wind the clock up until the holes have been fixed. So the clock will come to a stand still some time this week. A bit like Torquay.
* Not free at all. Some one has to pay for it and it's not Gordon Brown. Mean sod.
