That First Senior Moment

Should I be worried?

It may just be down to seasonal fatigue from staying up too late watching Christmas movies but today I had my first proper Senior Moment.

For those unfamiliar with that term it is quite a modern euphemism and firmly aimed at persons of a certain age who have a bit of an aberration, an unfamiliar lapse or a bit of wholly unprecedented behaviour.

It could, as previously mused, be a symptom of tiredness or an early warning of the onset of similar events on a more regular basis.

At face value today's occurrence could have landed me in a bit of bother and as my wife so correctly pointed out the misdemeanours or as they say in the United States my wrap sheet would have included gaining entry to a property by false representation, trespass, nuisance and many other minor transgressions.

The whole performance started with my collection of a set of house keys from a local Estate Agency.

I was required to inspect and report on a specific property for a prospective buyer and although the place was tenanted it was considered appropriate for me to gain entry with keys as the presence of the occupants could not be guaranteed at the time I was due to visit.

I made off to the property after glancing at my site note sheet amongst a bundle of papers on the front passenger seat of the car. The name of the road was well known to me being one of a series of adjacent streets built around the first decade of the 20th Century and commemorating former Statesmen and Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom.

I pulled up outside Number 8 and watched as a man and a woman entered carrying bags of shopping.

They left the front door slightly ajar and out ran a real bruiser of a hound with that recognisable gait and attitude of a Bull Terrier. I was a bit wary and instinctively place my works clipboard across my groin although it would not really have formed much of a barrier to a dog intent on playing out its protective duties for its owners.

Before I could knock on the half open door it was opened by the woman and I explained, waving the set of keys, that I had an appointment to carry out an inspection.

This was met with a palms up indication of a language difference between us. It was their 10 year old son who acted as interpreter as I outlined the purpose of my visit. My muttering of "Sale", "Landlord", "Condition" and other Surveying jargon was met with a bit of panic as the family thought that their occupation was in jeopardy and that they would have to immediately pack their bags and vacate.

Gradually an understanding developed thanks to the excellent English of the boy and I was waved into the house as though an old acquaintance not seen for some time.

In the next 30 minutes or so I chatted away and did my job before declining the offer of a drink and some food as I was on a tight schedule in the fast fading winter daylight.

We parted on good and affable terms.

The keys were returned to the Agency and I had that warm feeling that comes from having executed a quietly efficient and well planned task.

About an hour later, when sat at my office desk doing my report I realised that I had been to the wrong property. Completely the wrong house.

Although the first line of the address was the same, being another accolade to the same Victorian Politician my inputting of the postcode directed me to a street about two miles farther north in the City.

I almost fell off my chair in a blind panic about how to resolve this Senior Moment.

It was a case of rapidly re-collecting the keys under the guise of having left something at the house and carrying out the job that had been originally intended.

Within another hour I felt that I had redeemed myself in so far as the work requirement was concerned but what about that family who had willingly let me into their safe place?

It was certainly a moral dilemma.

If anything good could come from my error then it was a case of doing a bit of a forensic review so that it would not occur again. I do admit that in my 30 plus years of working I have only done the same sort of thing on one occasion but then again that could represent a trend and a pattern that could compromise the position of trust which I hold with homeowners, tenants and the wider general public.

So, what lessons have I learned from today's events.
1) Even if the door is open or opened by the occupants always try the keys in the lock to verify the address.
2) Learn a few selective phrases in multiple languages to cover every possible combination of nationalities in residence
3) Double check the address, especially if there is a common element which could apply to many different streets.
4) Have a strong cup of coffee about an hour before a job .....and
5)Buy a big box of chocolates to leave on the doorstep in an attempt to be absolved of an act of absolute stupidity.