Blue badge day

It's arrived at last! Sheila applied for a blue badge back in February. When we had heard nothing - not even an acknowledgment - after a couple of months, I rang the local parking office to enquire what the position was.

'We've written to the physiotherapist at the hospital, but hospitals never reply.'

'Could you not write to the GP shown on the application form?'

'Would you like us to do that? Or we could send a reminder to the hospital?'

'I think the GP shown on the form has retired now, but you could try.'

Another two months went past and I rang again.

'We've written to the physiotherapist at the hospital, but hospitals never reply.'

'Well, perhaps you could write to the GP. The one shown on the form has retired, but this is my wife's new one - Dr X'

A week later, a letter arrives from Dr X asking Sheila to make an appointment. We were just going on holiday, so left it till our return. Dr X, of course, only works two days a week, and it was another ten days before she had a spare ten minutes. 'I'll take that appointment,' said Sheila.

'Oh yes,' says Dr X, 'you should have a blue badge. I'll just complete this form and send it back... but it doesn't say where I should send it. I'll get the receptionist to ring and find out.'

Three weeks later we had still heard nothing so I rang again - that was last Monday.

'Ah, yes, we seem to have everything we need.'

'So when can my wife expect to receive the badge?'

'We just have to get it made up, we'll probably get it in the post in a day or two.'

As I say, it arrived today.