A week or so ago I was reminded, by the actions and attitude of Judy Martin, of a deeply unsavoury moment in the early days of my employment in Jersey circa 1997. I was temping at Jersey Telecom at the time waiting for my 'proper' job to start and was posted on the reception of the old showroom in Minden Place. Being 10 years away from the Island I wasn't au fait with the local politicans either by name or face. A middle aged woman walked up to the counter and asked to speak to Bob. "Bob who?" I replied. She looked at me with utter disgust then screamed "Bob Lawrence for god's sake!" Slightly rattled by the encounter so far I called up his secretary who then wished to know the name of the person standing in front of me. I politely asked her name but was wrong footed by her "Don't you know who I am?" retort. I just shook my head a said "Sorry, no I don't". After much tutting I was able to tell the secretary that none other than Deputy Shirley Baudains would like to see him! Like I say - deeply unsavoury.
Anyway there I was last week in the new shiney visitor centre at Toursim that nobody can find waiting to go in for a meeting when Judy rocks up, guns a blazing. "Where's the bleedin meeting" she yelled at the receptionist "I was told it was at housing but they sent me here!" she continued. Ever so politely the lady behind the counter asked which meeting she was reffering to. "I don't know do I, the one that was supposed to be at housing" she barked. The pressure was mounting. Unable to either identify this woman or what she wanted the receptionist fell into the very same trap I had 10 years earlier. Don't do it I thought but it was too late. Judy was forced into shreaking 'Don't you know who I am?'. And there it was. All the reasons why we dislike and criticise our elected members. Rude, arrogant, short tempered and deluded - all packaged up come election time as a 'one of the people' ticket.
I have lots of little stories like this about States members. Does any one else?
