21/12/2024
Our Customer Service Manager is beloved by the D&B team and customers alike. But we wanted to share this brilliant account of our Sadie's first and last appearance at a D&B event, as told by Row 🤣
We were running a stall at Level Water's iconic Bantham Swoosh. They do two swims each around the tides, so we had an early start on Saturday and arrived Friday night to set up. It was blowing an absolute hoolie and event organisers told us two gazebos had already blown down, so they recommended coming super early on Sat morning.
Bantham beach is at the end of a 3.5 mile single track lane lined with Devon banks and very few passing places. So, rather than drive two vehicles back to our Airbnb, we (well, I) decided to leave my van containing the gazebo, hanging rails, changing tent, banners etc at the event and drive back in Sadie's car.
The next morning, we got up at 5am and headed back to Bantham. At this point, I learnt two things about Sadie: 1. She doesn't like early starts and 2. She absolutely hates driving on narrow country lanes.
She was so relieved when we got to the event village - and delighted we'd got there on time - especially with annoying diversions. However, as we pulled up next to my van, I suddenly realised something that was about to seriously change her mood for the worse... I had left my van keys back at the Airbnb.
When I broke this news to Sadie, I was actually worried she might hurt me. We had no choice but to drive back and get them. As we drove in silence, her barely contained anger started to bubble over. Firstly when we were misdirected by a clueless traffic management person and drove a precarious loop that included impossibly narrow hairpin bends, only to come back to the same useless man who then sent us a different way.
When this narrow lane brought us to another traffic management person who told us that we had to turn around, it was the final straw. Sadie refused point blank to turn the car around.
In the end, we swapped places and I drove back to get my keys, terrified of pranging her car! It was only after we set up the stand and I'd bought her a coffee and bacon butty that she started to forgive me 🤣
