I'm still giving Swan an A-OK grade, because unlike Blackline, they didn't put me off over the phone. They did, however, send me a driver who liked to chat. And tended to focus on the less pleasant things in life.
Case in point: driver asks me where I'm going.
Me: Pets At Home.
Driver: Pets... At... Home.
Me: I have a kitten arriving at the weekend, see.
Driver: Oh. Right. I don't think I'd want a cat.
Me: ...Okay.
Driver: My friend's got two cats. She said she walked into the kitchen and saw an absolutely huge giant rat, eating the cat's food out of the bowl. And apparently, the two cats were just sat there looking at it. Didn't do a thing.
I tried to steer the conversation over to how domesticated cats perhaps sometimes lack the hunting instinct. He kept going back to the rat, so I responded by saying I'd be freaked out if I saw a rat in my apartment. He told me I probably have rats in my apartment. I said no, I'm on the top floor. He said it doesn't matter, they'll be living in my wall cavity. And that you're only ever a couple of metres away from a rat. I again tried to steer the conversation towards smaller talk. I mentioned that rats are as much a nuisance to the streets of India as pigeons are here. He said they eat rats in India.
He got me to Pets At Home, and it didn't cost as much as the different firm did on the way back. But I owe my other half a few million giant hugs for phoning me halfway through the journey and ensuring I didn't have to deal with such conversations for any longer. Dearie me... read more