Even That Fell To Pitiable Opinion

Used to see more people in the village
back in those days when the weekend
beckoned, tending an irreverent energy
suppressed I guess, a Mondayitis sprawled
across the working week – and all released
on Friday. I’d buy a few bottles of wine,
Henke put up specials by midday – we’d yarn,
weigh up opinion on the previous batch
but when the shop changed hands so did
the brands – had to contend with national
distribution he explained. Supply chains
ruined the Newsagency too – demanded
crap appear in racks I’d gladly dredge for
ancient magazines. Never went back.
Ate at the Italian Restaurant on the corner
regularly (fine excuse to buy wine from Henke)
but even that fell to pitiable opinion. The
reason they said was wood-fired pizza
and hamburgers with fries for crissake,
hardly what you’d call real competition.
You know, in the space of eight years you’d
find no difference from our village and the
nearest three, all run by essentially identical
franchisees. Geeze, no-wonder we left!
© 23 October 2007, I. D. Carswell