More on identity

Some more of those unpleasant interfaces with authority. In order to pay off mortgage arrears, I asked my friendly local bank to transfer my IKEA refund to my current account.

Because the transfer was over £1000, photo-ID was required. Now, were I a card fraudster, would I be transferring funds between same-named accounts? Moreover, photo ID is not easily obtained. My driving license is away on a holiday (for reasons etc.) and my passport should be off for renewal in London. Stretching the truth, I told the white lie that I'd no photo-ID whatsoever (almost true), but the teller was unshakeable. I could get a buspass for ID, she counselled. Next we started haggling over how much money I could draw down without photo-ID. My first offer was £1000, countered oxymoronically with the statement that any sum over £1000 was verboten. I tried £999- also greeted with derision. Her maximum was the £950 on which we eventually settled.

Another situation requiring photo-ID was having new security keys cut for the stair and flat. Just as well I'm late sending off the passport renewal, thanks to the R. veto of the rainsoaked photo. These are the same spare keys I left in the house along with my regular keys and mobile yesterday.