WHEN I was five-years-old I pulled a rude face at a woman who worked in a shop in my home town. When we got home my mother (who had obviously decided not to have a scene in public) told me that we would go back that afternoon so that I could apologise.

When the appointed time came, steeling my small self, I was taken back to see Mrs Pearce and to tell her how sorry I was. She gave me a sweet and we became firm friends.

Every detail of that incident is etched on my mind still and it has led me to try to be polite to people whenever humanly possible. However, I broke that golden rule last week and I’m not at all sorry.

Having parked my car in the supermarket car park, as I got out my door just touched the door of the adjacent van – on the spoiler provided for that purpose. At that moment the driver of the van appeared and accused me of hitting his vehicle and made remarks to the effect that people had no respect for others’ property and what did I think I was doing.

Momentarily forgetting Mrs Pearce, I told him that I was none of the things he accused me of. I was, in fact a very responsible person who didn’t make a habit of damaging cars or any other property and he had no need to be so rude.

The effect was instant. He silently got into his van and I strode off in the opposite direction.

On this occasion I think my feisty mother would have approved but I felt how sad it was that anyone should be filled with so much angst. Especially when the van on the other side belonged to Serena who runs the Oak and Furrow wildlife sanctuary in Somerford Keynes. I just know that if it had been her vehicle I had touched she would have greeted me with her delightful smile and said, "Di, how lovely to see you."