Great service isn't just child's play

Dominic Roskrow says a big thank you on behalf of his son, Louie

Every parent knows that the shapeless lump of dirty, sticky, toy their toddler won't let go of might not be much to most people, but is the whole world to that youngster.

It's his best friend and companion, his comfort and confidante.

Life apart is beyond comprehension. And every parent will know that sickening feeling when teddy seems to have gone missing or you realise you've left him behind somewhere.

This is a crisis of seismic proportions if you're part of the family. But if you're a hotel cleaner or a shop assistant then its just a scruffy old abandoned toy, and that's what makes it so awful for the parents – knowing that others might not understand that they've found a valued family member.

Our moment of hell came in Scotland after we'd travelled from the Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort where we'd been staying for three days and arrived at the wonderful Loch Torridon Hotel. We knew almost immediately that Pippy the Panda wasn't with us, and it was too late to do much about it.

Louie put on a brave face. For a while. Come bedtime, though, he was inconsolable and cried himself to sleep in our bed. I suspect my wife will count it as one of the worst nights of her life.

And we had no idea we'd ever see Pippy again. After all, what if the cleaner back at Aviemore had thrown Pippy out with the papers?

What we needed was someone who understood our plight and would take ownership of the problem. And that's what we got from one wonderful woman at the Macdonald Highl...

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• By : Dominic Roskrow
• In : Editor's View
• Issue : 23
• Page : 3
• Words : 556