For the council cleaning guys who hit the eastern beaches (Mission Bay, Kohi, etc) at 5.30 every morning to empty the bins, clean the toilets and pick up the rubbish lazy people can't be bothered putting in a bin.
John Boyd
Rant
You politely hand your eftpos or loyalty card to the cashier, but invariably it is returned by rudely plonking it on the counter, usually stripe-side down, even if you hold your hand out to receive it. Any comment, however gentle, is more likely to trigger puzzlement than an apology. If we all did that to shop assistants they would have no fingernails at the end of the day.
Peter Milner
Rave
A big rave for the two guys working for Watercare installing pipes in Walmsley Rd, Mangere, who waved me down when they heard the noise of a punctured tyre on my car (I had the radio on and hadn't heard it), then changed the tyre for me. And this in the mid-afternoon at 28C. It restores my faith in human nature, and gentlemen in particular.
Sherilyn Ryan
Rant
I was one of those "lucky" enough to receive a speeding tickets over the holiday period. When I went online to pay it promptly, I was asked to pay an extra "convenience" fee for paying it online. Surely, with all the outstanding fines, they should be pleased to receive the payment, rather than adding extra charges.
Meredyth McFarlane
Rave
Last Thursday was one of the hottest yet and while I waited for my gift to be wrapped at Amcal Pharmacy, Takanini, an elderly gentleman sat there, waiting for his prescription. He was obviously feeling uncomfortable. The lovely lady serving in the chemist noticed and went into the fridge and got him a free bottle of water to drink. She assured him he wouldn't have to wait much longer and even asked him if he needed to take any of his pills with the water.
Colleen Simpson