Talking Point with Vicky Turrell: 'There were signs ‘No Petrol’
This week’s column from Vicky Turrell.
“Only you can help, Mum.”
My cousin looked at a text message on her phone in bewilderment. It was from an unknown number and it went on, “My phone is broken and I need your help”. Assuming it was from her daughter my cousin replied saying that she would help, of course she would.
“I am texting from a friend’s phone. She has kindly said that you can use this number.” Then she repeated, “Mum, only you can help”.
You might be familiar with this script but my relative was not as she was so worried about her daughter and by now emotionally hooked. You maybe also know what came next. Yes, the request for money, £999 to buy a new phone. It was to be paid into the bank account of the ‘friend’ and the bank details appeared on the screen.
“Will you accept a cheque?” Asked my cousin who does not bank online. The ‘friend’ then disappeared.
In this climate we are all being careful with our money. But a real friend came up to see us from London last weekend and found that petrol shortages were very evident. Some motorway services had run out of petrol and there were signs ‘No Petrol’. There is not much you can do but go slower to use less petrol and when she got to Shropshire, she was able to fill up at the first services she saw.
I was looking for the kingfisher when I went to the bird hide yesterday. The water was clear and the water weed had been removed. There were perching twigs along the waterway. The conditions were ideal, but no matter how hard I looked I did not spot the kingfisher with its bright blue back. It was not hunting for fish when I was there. However, I was pleased to see the Canada geese and a rarer sight of the lapwing. I also heard a noise I usually hear on the coast. I recognised it straight away and then I saw them. There were two oyster catchers with their bright orange beaks. They had a nest too which made up for not seeing the kingfisher.
It was then I noticed the notebook. There was a ballpoint pen in the metal loops of the spine. I looked inside. There were recordings of the birds that people had seen from the hide.
Yesterday Mr A Smith had recorded that he had seen a kingfisher. Not only that he had seen just under 50 other species of birds including Cetti’s warbler!
When I got home my phone rang. It was from a number I did not recognise and usefully my phone noted ‘Suspected Telemarketer’. I did not answer.