A Tale of Travelling Cat-Food

or Will Heathcliff Ever Get His Whiskas?

Heathcliff waiting anxiously at the window

Tuesday:  I order a shed-load of cat food online from a Famous Supermarket as a Christmas hamper for my cat Heathcliff, who is being looked after by Daughter No 1 who lives in Staffordshire.  I schedule evening delivery and, because I know they're a busy family with lots of after-school activities, I put special instructions to leave it through the side-gate outside the back door if no-one's home.  It's a regular order - it's always worked.

Thursday:  I ring my daughter to check that the Cat Food Has Landed.  No, she says.  Because only C (13) was home they took it away again.  The driver wouldn't leave it by the back door either, but he's left a card, so daughter says she will ring and re-schedule delivery.

Friday:  I email Famous Supermarket.  They say they've refunded my money but will re-charge my card when they re-deliver.  Daughter re-schedules for Sunday.  Everyone happy (except Heathcliff).

Sunday:  Get phone call from neighbour in Cumbria (200 miles further north) who says 'I've just had a load of cat food delivered to my door.  I told the driver it couldn't be for you because you're away, but he said he was late for his delivery slots and hadn't time to check  "This is where I was told to deliver it, so this is where I'm delivering" he said.'  I have never, at any time, given F.S my neighbour's address as a delivery target.
 
           Phone call from daughter in Staffordshire. No cat food.  What do we do?


Monday am:  Neighbour rings F.S. and points out that she has a hall full of cat food she doesn't want.

                    My daughter rings Customer Support who tell her it's my order.  I have to sort it out.

                    I email F.S. and outline the problem.  Cat in Staffordshire. Cat food in Cumbria.

                     Receive email sending me a £10 voucher off my next order.

                      I email F.S (a little more sharply) saying that it doesn't solve my problem - I have just paid for a lot of cat food which is currently at the wrong address (their fault) and as I'm in Italy I've no way of getting it to the cat.

                     Silence.

Monday pm:  Daughter rings F.S. Customer Support for advice - 'Can't she just order some more cat food?'  Daughter asks to speak to the person in charge (she's very good at this!).  Supervisor soothing and helpful.  Daughter - why should my mother have all this hassle?  It's your problem - you sort it.

Tuesday:  Daughter receives delivery of cat food. (Thank you F.S)  Finally Heathcliff gets to eat!
               20 minutes later she gets a telephone call.  'This is F.S. We're just on our way to collect the cat food and wanted to check that you're in.'
               Daughter - 'But it's just been delivered!'
               F.S. Driver - 'It's at the wrong address.'
               Daughter - 'It's at the right address!'  Then, suspiciously, 'Where are you phoning from?'
               F.S. Driver - 'This is F.S. Carlisle, Cumbria.'
               Daughter points out that he's got quite a long drive, then gives him my neighbour's address and tel no in Cumbria, hardly able to speak for laughing.

Tuesday:  Cat food and cat are now reunited and my neighbour can get into her hallway without spraining her ankle on tins of Whiskas.  F.S have sent me a £10 voucher for my next order, but I think it will be a while before any of us have the energy to spend it!