Paid to Say ?

I find myself sitting, not for the first time, in John Lewis coffee shop , in fact cashing in my free latte on my loyalty card . I am in JL in the first place due to a brain malfunction late last night when I became convinced I had purchased the Wrong Present for my sister .

I confer with D about his arrangements today and we discover that if I leave for town just as he leaves court for home , he can probably be back before the dog has had a nervous breakdown .

Thus I arrive , somewhat puffed by earlier events , of which more to follow , at the Birthay Present Counter and am told that I have in fact purchased exactly the Right Present . What was I thinking of ?

So now here I am with an hour's credit in the parking machine and what better to do than drink coffee.

I cast my eye about thinking of the anonmous letter posted through my car sunroof earlier and trying not to draw too many conclusions , when my eye lights upon a framed advertising poster on the far wall .
A man in a very tall chef's hat stands by the counter of the shop holding in front of him a very big cake .His face is beaming . He is pleased with that cake. The wording reads thus " We are paid to say our scones and cakes are made fresh each day by our team of patisserie chefs for your enjoyment "
I stare in amazement and my lip curls ... paid to say ? Paid to Say ? These companies pay millions , allegedly, for their advertising and they tell the punters in the coffee shop that they are "paid to say" that their cakes are nice ?

I text my sister to tell her about the sunroof incident and she texts back . It is only at this point when I apply my spectacles and everything focuses slightly more sharply that I realise that John Lewis are in fact Proud to Say etc ....

And there was me with my perfect long distance vision ....

Meanwhile I have a ricotta and lemon cake and a summer berry cake to make myself . And when I can proudly announce that I have made them , I will return with the Mystery of the Anonymous Sunroof Saboteur.