Wednesday, February 06, 2008

The state of the nation

Scene: A stream of workers going into a City office block, opposite Blackfriars station in London

Time: 08:55am Wednesday 6 February 2008

A lady in her early 60s, nicely dressed and coiffured is talking to a younger female companion.


Lady: I think this country started going to the dogs when they got rid of Margaret Thatcher

Man, turning aroung quickly, aged 38, blue jeans, berghaus mac and black rucksack: I'm sorry but I couldn't possibly agree with that

Lady: I wasn't talking to you

Man: I know, but I heard what you said and it went through me like a knife

Lady: Tough

Lady's companion: (in a reassuring voice, as they move away from the man in jeans towards the lift): 'It is obviously a topic that people have strong views about'

2 comments:

Lucy said...

Well done for saying something. Me and mum boycotted a giftshop in Bakers St for about 12 years because we overheard one of the shop assistants saying 'honestly, I don't know what all those Northerners are complaining about, there is no unemployment, you only have to look in the appointments section of the Telegraph to understand that'. I still feel bad if I go in there even though it's changed hands about 3 times since.

James said...

I like the idea of long-running boycotts that last way after the original cause was won or (more usually) lost.

I haven't bought a copy of The Times since 1986. At the time the call went out 'Don't buy the Times or the News of the World' and I haven't heard anyone say 'Its OK now, you can buy them, they (or you) have suffered enough'.

Not much of a sacrifice though to be honest.