If readers have followed my election campaign they will be vaguely aware that I engaged with BT on the subject of fixing signs to telegraph poles. They advised that my query had been passed on to the right department who would deal with my query. That was back in July so it might be moving towards the top of the heap soon.

What prompted me to remember this was the arrival of a large grey envelope/sack from BT that puzzled me for a while. It seems that it is intended for the return of equipment but it doesn’t actually say what equipment they are expecting.

I used to have BT broadband but I moved the service onto PlusNet in February 2003. Here we are more than eighteen months later and they have suddenly remembered that I owe them an Alcatel Stingray USB ADSL modem. The bag turned up flat & there is no packing material provided so I imagine most stuff sent back ends up trashed.

I do still have it, although I put it up in the loft last but one summer & very nearly put it in the bin. I had a vague inclination to flog it on ebay but will now happily return it- in my own good time. Maybe I’ll leave it until autumn 2005, or next time I move house.

Hopefully they will contact me complaining I haven’t returned it yet. That is a conversation I will take great delight in participating in!