My dad had a nice 'bus journey last summer
Being a positive, upbeat fellow, he wrote to the 'bus company, saying "I was on the XXXXX at XX:XX hours on XXXXXX date, and would like to heartily commend the driver, blah blah blah"

He really was impressed - he's no naiive idealist or a hippy, he was just genuinely pleased with his journey.

He got a letter back saying thank you and a bunch of free tickets.

Win for being nice.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Wed 16 Feb 2011, 15:57, 13 replies)

A wise man once said...
There's no advantage to being nice - you only get hurt in the end
;-)
( JamHamster My eyes, my beautiful eyes!, Wed 16 Feb 2011, 16:05, closed)

It's true.
THe 'bus driver mugged him three weeks later.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Wed 16 Feb 2011, 16:20, closed)

Whilst applauding your erudition and education
I think we can probably dispense with the leading apostrophe on "bus". It's been an independent word for some time now, regardless of its original etymology.

</pedantry>
(moon monkey is busy making memories worth repressing, Wed 16 Feb 2011, 16:17, closed)

This "we" being ... ?

( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Wed 16 Feb 2011, 16:20, closed)

The human race
...or at least, that part of it that speaks English, or even Merkin.
(moon monkey is busy making memories worth repressing, Wed 16 Feb 2011, 16:31, closed)

So ... you're that arrogant that you think you speak for the entire English-speaking population of the world?
I see.

You're wrong - you don't.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Thu 17 Feb 2011, 10:31, closed)

It'd be quite nice to bring back some of the older/original/pre-abbreviation
words through judicious use of an apostrophe though wouldn't it? Slowly but surely reminding folk that the word is aeroplane for example with a casual 'plane here and there, or would it make everybody sound like those Northern folk?
( number5 has been fighting tramps and losing., Wed 16 Feb 2011, 17:33, closed)

I like the apostrophe.
I see nothing wrong with anachronistic language and see it as a peculiarly British manifestation of eccentricity.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Wed 16 Feb 2011, 17:38, closed)

I was just about to mention the
apostrophe in front of 'bus. I was taught to write it like that, just like I was to write 'phone.
That was in about 1983.
( Mrs Entity is in hiding., Wed 16 Feb 2011, 22:23, closed)

I still use 'phone in business letters...
... sometimes.
( Ugi , it's a game of give and cake, Thu 17 Feb 2011, 12:03, closed)

Why didn't he just 'phone them?
I suppose this way they can stick the letter to the 'fridge in the staffroom.
(StapMyVitals wouldn't mind a bit of that, Wed 16 Feb 2011, 18:12, closed)

^Hurrah^

( number5 has been fighting tramps and losing., Wed 16 Feb 2011, 18:46, closed)

Not 'fridge
surely, as its refrigerator.
( Mrs Entity is in hiding., Wed 16 Feb 2011, 22:24, closed)