I started my apprenticeship working under a guy whose father ran a building
company. This was in the immediate post war period. The standard thing they
did was send the new apprentice down to the local hardware shop for a
bastard file. Apprentice would arrive to find an extremely pretty and comely
lady behind counter, who knew exactly what this mumbling and speechless lad
had been sent for, but feigned total innocence of the product, and sent him
back with any file but what had been requested by the boss. Result was a day
spent trotting back and forth, getting an earful from the boss, but being
too sensitive to say "that" word to an apparently innocent lady behind the
counter.

And then of course there was being sent to the store for a long wait :)

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