2 + 2 = ???

People’s stupidity, and their ability to link unconnected events and assume cause-and-effect, astounds me. 
The price of petrol has come down steadily over the past few months, because the price of crude oil has fallen dramatically. It’s nice for me that the time since I’ve taken over as filling station manager has coincided with this steady fall, but that’s all it is - coincidence. I don’t for one second think that my arrival here has somehow impacted on the amount that our company chooses to charge for fuel. But believe it or not there are people who think that’s the case. I am apparently getting credit for worldwide trends and decisions made at Head Office!
Several people have commented on my ‘positive improvements’ in the past few weeks, and today I had a chat with a guy who runs his own company with his wife. She makes lovely floral displays and bouquets and he travels around in a little van delivering them. He shook my hand today and insisted that my ‘determination to drive down petrol prices’ may have saved his business. I did TRY to explain to him that it was all down to forces beyond my control, but he told me to stop being modest and shook my hand again as he left.
So despite having to spend the afternoon locked alone in an office doing paperwork, I was buoyant, cheerful and relaxed.
I still ended up with a headache, though.

RC 23-2-15