Rural Isolation is just not no phone boxes, no broadband, no shops, no pub, no mains gas, no traffic and few glimpses of human life-its also the botheration factor compounded by globalisation, or something. .
OIL When we arrived here we could bargain our way with a number of companies until we got oil at the cheapest price. But it has all changed. Why? We live up the end of a narrow lane with an awkward corner. As many people do in rural Berwickshire. It’s the country .See? No problem in the old days but now every Oil delivery business has gone over to the economies of scale. Big 8 wheel, articulated tankers replacing the small, highly manoeuvrable four wheelers of blessed memory. Company after company refused to deliver and even the one with whom we had a delivery- top- up –on- a- regular- basis -contract gave up, pleading health and safety, damage to vehicles etc etc as the pretext. We were stuck with one remaining firm, with a medium sized 6 wheeler who could just manage the lane and the tricky entrance to our drive. But the driver did not like it (Unlike his lorry he was graphically articulated) and bitterly complained of the hassle and especially of the effect on his truck’s paintwork from the copious, over hanging vegetation on either side of the lane. Even they abandoned us until we, at great expense, had the whole lane cleared of overhanging branches to a height of as much use to low flying aircraft as to the oil lorry. Our neighbour grumbled (but did not feel able to contribute to the cost of trimming his trees) and the company reluctantly returned to the awesome task of filling our tank but with the driver as surly as before.
Then relief! Mafeking all over again. The original supplier who also services our appliances-boiler and cooker-offered us a regular top up contract. The siege was lifted. We could turn up the Raeburn to the ‘quite hot’ mark without fear of consequences. However when their local commissar came out to recce the premises he advised us ‘sorry guv’ No can do. Lane too narrow and a new point –health and safety regulations prevented his drivers climbing over anything higher that a five foot wall to insert nozzle into the tank (One, I should mention, installed by the company!) One driver is suffering from two broken ribs from attempting to mount such an obstacle and anyhow all Lorries were now forbidden to carry ladders-in case the drivers were tempted to have a go. To say I made a fuss is like saying I don’t mind England losing to the Aussies. A letter to a very senior member of the company concerned about honouring contracts, the plight of the rural householder, the world, the flesh and the devil etc produced the goods. A tiny tanker was unmothballed and once a quarter it tootles down from Glasgow to fill our tank and our tenant’s. No complaints about the lane and none about the wall either as the driver found he could approach the tank from the back carrying the nozzle. We, for our part, have built a nice little flight of steps just for tanker drivers to make their task a pleasant one and to ensure that his quarterly jaunt to the Borders something to look forward to.
What a Palaver. That’s the country for you.
