Spare a thought for Maggie…

It is a funny world. One day I am struggling to work out how to use the Smart phone charger in a neighbourhood coffee shop, admittedly it’s free but that doesn’t make it any easier. The next I am buying old fashioned dolly pegs online, for my 9 year old daughter so she can make this weeks family of poor unfortunates; each to be abused, scrappily dressed in rags and tat with hand written, fixed grin, painted sharpie faces.

To me it seems a constant state, buying stuff. There is no longer a beginning and end.  I am always putting my hand in my pocket to exchange cash for things. Can this be right, am I alone, when did this behaviour take hold?

In the Internet of things and the world that mirrors it there are two truths. 

Firstly, I can buy more or less anything that takes my fancy anytime I want it; my imagination is limited only by my attitude to taking on debt. Thankfully, I am getting that under control.

Secondly, people make all the difference. The other day I enjoyed a moment of customer service. The lady behind the counter at my local post office took in a letter for me to hand on to the postman. She expected him soon, his job to take all the bagged mail sitting around her to the sorting office up the road.

She did this to save me money, I was asking her about special delivery. She also proved to me that people are often friendly and helpful, and I shouldn’t forget it.

When life is busy and events are passing you by take a moment, raise a glass to the people who work at the local corner shop, without them we are one step closer to automated, relentless, undifferentiated, retail awfulness.

It’s a people business, thank you Maggie