Sideswipe

But are these the top three choices in an all-American shopper's list?

A reader's slightly larger, identical twin brother had a strange encounter while at the Tepid Baths, in central Auckland. "My twin was sitting on the ledge of the pool putting on his goggles and my workmate (who didn't know I had a twin) went up to him, poked him in the belly and said "Jeez mate, you're looking a bit chubby". Twin, shocked at being accosted by a stranger, quickly slides into the pool to do some laps. He gets out after 10 or so lengths. Workmate (now in the spa) yells to twin to do more laps and stands up and mock grabs and jiggles his stomach. Seeing this twin sucks his belly in and slinks back into the pool as nearby children point and laugh. My workmate told me that I must have been pretty focused on the swimming the other day because I wasn't too chatty. He also said that I hide the spare tyres well. I think he is still recovering from shock when told it was my twin. Brother did make a reference to being randomly heckled by a stranger at the pools."

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A reader writes: "I was at McDonalds Quay Street and during my visit I noticed a mother was waiting for her order and talking to her son, aged about six. Her voice was slightly raised but by no means would I have considered it anything out of the ordinary. She noticed me looking at her and, embarrassed, she said, "I don't normally yell at my kids". I was a bit taken back by this, and would like to apologise to her. The reality was she was an attractive lady and I was more interested in her than whatever she was saying to her kids."

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A customer called the Northland branch of telecommunications company Gen-i after hours and was treated to an automated phone system with a difference. The voiceover says: "For sales, press 1; for service, press 2; for accounts and admin, press 3; and to hear a duck quack, press 4."

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A reader went to the Movenpick in Mission Bay on Saturday and ordered a $5 scoop of sorbet. "I got to the counter and requested a glass of water, knowing full well that Sideswipe had printed the manager's promise of tap water on request. First I got no response and, when I repeated myself, they all shook their heads saying 'no'. I even threw in the "but in Sideswipe" - no luck. I went next door and purchased my water from Star Mart."

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Philip Burton from Hamilton City Council says the eyewitness account of parking tickets being issued to people caught up in a bomb scare in Hamilton was incorrect. But some tickets were issued for no warrants of fitness.