Swedes are ”Conflict-afraid”, that means at the sight of an argument they will generally shirk away from the problem. That is unless you are delivering leaflets through their letterbox. Then you would think they have just had a bomb posted into their home. I could understand it if everybody had the same rubbish posted to them regardless. However there is a clear system, if you dont want the stuff, place a little sticker on your letterbox saying so. Simple. I have been doing this too long. While I have been delivering I have heard the following moans at least once, generally more frequently.

1. I don’t want this rubbish.

2. (Them) Where are my leaflets ?
(Me) Have you checked your postbox ?
(Them) No.. but…
(Me) Generally just a sigh – after all I am a trainee Swede and therefore conflict afraid.

3. (Them)Look at the mess you have made on my doormat
(Me) Sorry, Would you like me to take them back?
(Them) No, but I don’t want them to fall on my doormat in this manner!
(Me) Generally just a sigh – after all I am a trainee Swede and therefore conflict afraid.

4. (Old lady) Would you wait there a moment? At which point she proceeds to sort the small pile of leaflets she has just received. Then returns them into my hands.
(Me) Do you know there is a sticker you ca….
(Old Lady) Would you wait there a moment? And she disappears inside to return with a huge pile of leaflets from god knows how long ago, dumps them in my hands, and closes the door.
(Me) Just a sigh and stunned silence.

The children you meet out and about while delivering can be just as annoying. Are you a postman ? Are you Postis Per ? They chirp while dancing around your legs and basically get in the way. I tend to only say yes, explaining the fundamental differences between a respectable job with full pension rights and a not even glorified paper round would be wasted on them. Sigh, today was not one of the better days.