A different era

Sir, – Michael Harding writes of how a teacher predicted that he would end up as a petrol pump attendant (“A teacher in school convinced me I was a useless lump of dung”, People, June 13th).

This brought back a flood of memories about the days before the term “service station” became an oxymoron.

Younger readers may like to know that petrol pump attendants filled your tank with petrol. They would also pump your tyres, inspect the windscreen washer and oil levels and sometimes even wash your windscreen.

You observed all this from the comfort of your driver’s seat. You then gave them the money, they paid in the shop and they brought you the change, from which you might have given them a small optional tip.

Oh halcyon days! Oh progress! – Yours, etc,

GEMMA McCROHAN,

Dublin 16.