The Point is this...

The proposed badger cull has angered me. The government intends to have at least 70% of the badger population killed in the name of stopping the spread of TB. But the evidence to support the theory that badgers spread bovine TB is rather dodgy. For example, New Zealand has no badgers, but they have a similar problem with bovine TB there. My main concern is that once the badgers have been wiped out, there will have been no effect on TB, so the accusing finger will merely move to the next animal - hedghogs, foxes, rabbits... I don't know of any examples where removing nature has been successful...?

I've been selling ice cream for a few months now, and its alright. There is a noticable difference in the behaviour of customers for ice cream, and customers in the tea room. In the tea room, wherever you work, serving, clearing tables etc they generally speak to you in a patronising way, often impolitely worded, and it is clear they view you as low grade servants most of the time. Quite what brings them this sense of greatness when considering themselves is a mystery to me. This attitude whereby they feel it is unnecessary to utilise basic manners is strange, because the vast majority of us are brought up to be polite and courteous, and perhaps charitable. But for some reason they feel scenarios such as in a tea room do not warrant common courtesy.

I notice when it comes to selling ice cream that most customers are friendlier, and i put this down to two things: 1)they are outside, 2) ice cream is something that people enjoy. And some customers are even chatty! So for some reason i am seen as being more deserving of polite requests when i sell ice cream, than when i sell cream teas.

But one of the most puzzling aspects of customer behavior happens only in the case of the ice cream. Most days after being instructed to close the ice cream kiosk, i get customers coming over and asking whether i am still open. I have to apologise and explain that i have been told to close. And to be fair, some accept this explanation. Though many get annoyed and try to pressurise me into reopening. One time a woman (upon hearing my apology and explanation) angrily brandished her child at me and said, 'but i have promised my 4 year old ice cream! What do you expect me to tell her?!' and this is what i cant understand. We live in a conservative, right wing area in a generally conservative nation, where people dont care about public sector cuts and demand tax reductions, and i dont question their right to this opinion. The private sector is seen as preferable. Yet this lady, and many others, seem to expect my ice cream kiosk to act as some sort of public service, the sole aim of which is to serve her and provide her with ice cream whatever the cost, rather than to make money. Its like they believe that the ice cream is rightfully theirs and that they MUST have it, and i HAVE to give it to them, even if it means i must work unpaid or get into trouble. But you cant have it both ways and they need to realise this, and maybe stop believing the drivel they read in the daily mail.

As for the poor child who would have been left sad and confused, unable to understand why HER ice cream had not been handed over, her mother should be prepared to let her child miss out for once. Life does not give you everything you want, the second you want it, or ever for that matter, and the child needs to learn this. Perhaps life isnt quite 'a series of endless grinding disappointments' as Al Murray would say, but nor is it the polar opposite of that.

I've never written a blog before, or even considered it, but Opera suggested it and they are wise! If anyone actually reads my blog they will find a selection of shards of opinion and thoughts, combined with the odd complaint, because we all love to moan now and again. I can't imagine there being a great deal of logical following on through my posts - my mind is a jumble of craziness which is rarely shared or expressed. For example, if I am out on a walk, my mind is always firmly on the subject of bacon and sausages, for no particular reason, but hey, when in Rome*.





*courtesy of the great and legendary Ron Burgundy