I've heard lots of moans and groans about vouchers.
"It was just a week past its expiry date and they wouldn't let me use it" or "They wouldn't give me any change - I still had $7 left and they said they weren't allowed to give out change. I told them it was my money but they just wouldn't give it to me."
You have to feel sorry for "front-line" retail staff sometimes. They are simply following instructions but they have to bear the brunt of customers' frustration and sometimes anger.
They probably dread this time of year when shoppers are stressed and on a mission they can't accomplish because there are no blue socks in size 10.
Anyway, back to the vouchers. These days pressie cards are much more user-friendly. You can use them anywhere and right down to the last cents. However, they still have an expiry date.
I've been given a few vouchers over the years and one or two I've rushed to use just before the expiry date.
A while ago I was given a voucher for The Mission Estate Restaurant. Lovely, I thought. I put it aside, intending to use it when the weather warmed up. Someone moved it and I simply forgot all about it. When I did remember it I hunted it out. Mr Neat and I talked about going for lunch but something always seemed to pop up.
Then I put it in a safe place and lost it. I thought about it now and then and wondered where it had got to. After a couple of years I came across it again while having a clean-up. There was no expiry date on it but I thought it was probably too late.
"Why don't you ring and ask?" my daughter suggested. "Yes I will," I replied. But I never did and it was tucked away again.
Three years later I thought I'd never be able to use it but still held onto it. Last week I happened to be talking to someone from the restaurant and I thought "it's now or never", so I told them about the voucher and they said sure, use it.
Incredible. It was ... wait for it ... seven years old. They could have easily said it was too old and I wouldn't have blamed them one little bit if they had.
This time I rang the following morning and made a booking. Mr Neat and I went for lunch on Saturday. It was the first time I'd eaten at The Mission and it was incredible. The food was outstanding, as was the service.
The wind played mischief, knocking over umbrellas and sending napkins flying, but the staff handled it all with a smile.
It's such a beautiful place, it's no wonder it has such an outstanding reputation.
I'm going to make sure it's not another seven years before I return.
-Linda Hall is assistant editor at Hawke's Bay Today.
