Hi Everyone
Did you notice that Batman and Robin were on the road again this week? Well, not that Batman and Robin as these two are not in the business of saving the world. No, the two that I am talking about are that funny little man from North Korea and the bad man from Moscow. If it was not so serious, their meeting this week was surely a comedy writer's dream. The green train carrying the funny little man had the same speed limit, 35 miles an hour, as a JCB tractor as apparently it was weighed down by tons of steel reinforcement designed to keep him safe. In addition, there was a train in front to check the track and another train behind full of security staff and bodyguards. In contrast, the bad man from Moscow had probably mislaid his senior railcard so flew to the middle of nowhere for their meeting. There were no adoring crowds filmed at their meeting and now the rest of the world is trying to guess what they were talking about. One thing is certain, they were not asking each other how the wife and children were or planning a holiday together. In reality, the bad man needs more ammunition and the funny little man is having trouble with his rockets so perhaps they were planning a party that we could all attend. Seventy years ago I was standing in a square where a man was standing on a box telling anyone who would listen that there was going to be a third world war. Let us hope that we are still making that same prediction in seventy years' time. On the other side of the world, a senior American politician approaching middle age has decided to retire and is urging Donald and Joe to do the same to make way for younger talent. That seems the most sensible suggestion that I have heard this week unless of course that younger talent is anything like that funny little man from North Korea.
Back in the days of the Fruit, Vegetable, Flower, Game, and Lolly shop, the Senior Partner had never heard of the minimum wage or worker's rights. Dot, who later became the Main Contractor was expected to work for two hours every Friday night with no mention of minimum wage or even any wage at all and worker's rights were unknown as nobody ever worked there except the Junior Partner. The only other 'staff' were the various errand boys which included me who from my memory only ever earned 50P (10 shillings in old money) so inflation was the air the the bike tyres. In addition, after we were married we were naturally expected to buy our fruit and veg from the shop. That was fine as Dot as a skilled shop worker could make up our order from her weekly shopping list. Everything was paid for at full price and when we got home, on many occasions, we found that the Senior Partner had changed Dot's 'specially selected' items for an 'everyday essential' or 'wonky' alternative. Can you imagine the Senior Partner having to deal with paying staff, making risk assessments for Dot and the errand boys and, worse still, offering a trade discount to her staff or facing the local fair trade inspector?
This week our granddaughter has started the next exciting phase of her life as she goes off to University. Back when I was 18 I was offered a university place but instead successfully multiplied two and a half by two and a half to get my first job in the construction industry. The university experience would no doubt have taken my life in a completely different direction. We are all faced with that crossroads somewhere along the way so never look back at what might have been but enjoy and embrace what is.
Just a Thought :
The best time to start thinking about your retirement is before your boss does.
All world leaders should be women. Instead of going to war, they would just stop talking to each other.
By the time you're 85, we've learned everything. All you now have to do is remember it.
Brian
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