I turned up for my slot, met the team leader who is an AS employee and who told me she was in her dream job. I met my co-collector whose husband has FTD (like my dad) and we had a bit of a chat. I was handed my bucket, and a sash - so far so good.
So 10 o'clock came and I dutifully stood at the entrance, trying to look pleasant. I know, not something that comes easily to me. I had my AS t-shirt on and made sure the words 'Alzheimers Society' were positioned across my not insignificant bust. 10.15 came, not a brass farthing, and my plastered smile was looking more of a grimace. People saw me and actually changed direction, including a someone I know for a fact has more than a couple of bob to his name. I resisted the temptation to shout "I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE!"
Then a lady came up and put some coins in and told me she was having tests for AD next week, how worried she was, and how she couldn't find anything on the internet. I cursed myself for not having a stack of TP leaflets.
A lady came and put some coins in saying 'My dad had dementia' and the lady behind waiting to give said 'Mine too'. 'Mine three' I said.
We had the jokers - 'Alzheimer's - I've forgotten what that is, ha ha'
; we had the people who suddenly found their till receipt as fascinating as the revelation of a super-injuntion; we had Mr. Ferrari who walked past me TWICE - presumably not giving to charity is how he can afford a Ferrari; and the woman who dropped her 40p donation on the floor and said 'you can pick that up' - OK fine I'll grovel on the floor
.
But we had so many people wanting to give - young and old, including the poor woman who spent 10 minutes getting her purse out of her backpack. And so many people saying 'my mum has it', 'my brother's just been diagnosed'...
All in all very worthwhile having to be pleasant for a couple of hours - a new experience for me
.
Later I went to M&S where the Samaritans were bag-packing. I told the woman packing my bag that I had been collecting for AS at Tesco. 'Oh' said the woman on the till 'We're getting so much help from them as my mum's just been diagnosed...'