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Arkwright - The Independent Voice
With all the negatives that abound at the moment, most of which we are helpless to influence, what a delight that the days are lengthening and thankfully politicians and bankers can't interfere there even with their deft, manipulative, hollow words - but I'm sure they would if they could. I feel so much better when I can get home in the daylight and don't have to use my SAD lightbox, saving money on electricity into the bargain.
Despite the snow, wind and rain the longer days do signify that spring will be on its way shortly and people will be spending more time outdoors again. Customers (yes they do still exist despite the best efforts of doom-mongers) are starting to talk cricket again; not that fiasco that's going on in the West Indies but local cricket that gives so much enjoyment to many, particularly the sandwich-making WAGS. Before I get too carried away with the thoughts of summer I want to say a big thank you to darts and snooker for providing me, and I hope others, with some good business when everyone is stuck inside.
The credit crunch isn't confined to the banks clamping down on lending; the old wheeze of a child saying to a parent "My money is at home, I promise I'll pay you back" (the child, the parent and I knew perfectly well that wasn't going to happen) doesn't seem to wash so easily anymore. Some loans from parents are now blankly refused, some are given only after the child has listened attentively to an economics lecture and I've had one mother who even insisted the child sign an IOU in her favour, here in the shop, before releasing the cash! The times they are a-changing and folk are beginning to realise they don't have to keep up with the Joneses any more; mainly I suppose because the Joneses can't keep up with themselves due to all the financial turbulence in the world. It's been the in thing for some time to eat locally grown and organic food and turn one's attention to green issues, now it appears increasingly popular for those who can actually discern quality or value to be wanting to buy sports clothing which is not overtly branded. That's not to say they are not reassured by a brand they know but I've found an increasing number, having paid for an item, are not inclined to then advertise the brand through a large logo nor do they feel the need for reassurance by their peers for their choice of brand.
They say the devil finds work for idle hands and there are probably now some who are complaining that it's my hands he's found the work for in the form of letter writing. To amuse myself my pen-name varies depending on who the recipient of my missive is: when I had to write again to the bank about the mystery day's cash spends in the ether after being paid in and not arriving at the intended account, it was Yours faithfully Noah Money; the MP got one signed R U Bothered and a supplier whose delivery was missing items when checked against the packing note got an email signed Ivor Shortage. To be fair I'll give praise where it's due and I don't confine myself to complaining, as is evident by the letter I wrote to the council during the snow crisis. I said I completely understood how they'd slipped up when they ran out of salt as I hadn't stocked up with toboggans, and ended the letter 'Emma Snowdin'.
My letter-writing done I looked for other feathers to ruffle, quite literally. If Ken Livingstone could successfully ban pigeons from Trafalgar Square then it was time my town chased the seagulls and pigeons instead of continuing to be a sitting target for their guano. I invited a falconer to come and give a demonstration without recourse to anyone else, knowing from past experience that without decisive action some would want a meeting to discuss whether there should be a meeting to discuss the idea; by which time our streets, shop fronts and some of us would be covered in another foot of pigeon poo and the gull breeding season would be underway. Before the hawk's demo flight we enjoyed a short talk from the falconer describing how the miscreant birds would be disturbed. Sure enough within minutes of the hawk landing quietly on a nearby roof the gulls were putting out distress calls and other gulls appeared, then more and more gathered Hitchcock style. The falconer said, "We should see crows shortly" and as if he had an assistant releasing them on cue crows appeared. Just as the assembled spectators were agreeing that this man and his bird clearly knew how to deal with pests who should appear round the corner but three of the town's troublemakers. Forget the police, what this country needs to restore order is a Falcon Force and a Pied Piper!
