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Arkwright - The Independent Voice
With all the hype in July surrounding the 40th anniversary of landing on the moon I've been pondering on what I was doing that day. It's amazing how one takes things in your stride when you are young; so many things were happening in the 60s it seemed only natural to go to the moon. Sadly as I've become a Grumpy I think the film Capricorn One was probably far more likely and "the landing" was all a fabulous con staged in the Arizona desert.
Anyway returning to that day in July 1969, before cynicism kicked in, I was on holiday with my family and watched the landing in Italy. My sister was a great diary keeper and she recorded that day, "Wore my new bikini on the beach, quite like pizza, went to the nightclub in the evening. Very hot here". Not a mention of the Americans landing on the moon so it can't have been such a big deal as they make out now but she was quick to spot the potential of pizza before it invaded this country! Intrigued that she didn't think the moon landing worth a mention I looked to see what she wrote for 30th July 1966, well at least it registered in her mini skirt world but she clearly didn't realise its significance....."Stayed in bed late. Friends came over to watch football on telly, the World Cup. England won. 4- 2 great!!! Mum made a nice tea and we all went to the flicks". Don't you just love her? If she were a teenager today perhaps she'd write, "England won the Test at Lords, AWESOME. Definitely getting tattoo done tomorrow of mini cricket bat. Got a takeaway, left litter all over the street".
Times change and so do things on the tennis court. A fellow shop owner appeared in my shop last week looking quite harassed. He'd just been subjected to a good telling off from the tennis coach as he innocently talked to his small son before the session started whilst some of the class were practicing on the courts. The coach exploded at my friend (who had absolutely no responsibility for the other children), "What on earth are they doing? Who let them on the court? Accident waiting to happen. No respect for (yes, you've guest it!) health and safety". In the good old days if you got to a lesson early and you weren't knocking up when the teacher arrived you were accused of being lazy and disinterested. Kids can't win. I once played a match with a broken arm having slipped over practicing before the teacher arrived, when I did report the pain half way through the match I was told, "It's just nerves" as she rubbed it better (yep, they touched you in those days too and it didn't mean a thing) so I slunk back on to the court, finished the game and lived to tell the tale. If it happened to me these days I probably would be airlifted to intensive care!
Sad news about Canterbury of New Zealand going into administration but not totally unexpected. You may recall I flagged up in January the rather odd decision to introduce a £50 small order charge and asked if they were the only company in the world that could afford to turn away business how ever small an order. It was a loud alarm bell, if the management were making crazy decisions like that then one wondered what other crass things were going on, unfortunately it would now seem panic had set in and rational business practice was abandoned.
Now if any of you are off for your hols, or a business trip, this summer and happen to travel with EasyJet be warned...Son of Arkwright could be welcoming you aboard. As doors slammed in the world of estate agency and commission slumped he felt it was time his career path took an upward turn and it has to about 35,000 feet. He thinks he's found heaven, not just because he's up in the clouds, though that must help, but mainly because he's there with a continually changing roster of pretty girls. If any passenger starts to annoy him he claims he just throws them out the window, probably not company policy but don't risk getting on the wrong side of him! Family fares are very attractive so I'm now in therapy to conquer my fear of flying, as I want to be able to take full advantage. My counsellor assures me that planes have come a long way since Icarus had his little mishap but I suspect gin will be more effective than hypnosis in countering my concerns. Bon voyage!
