Thanks, Max, Pat. That's the thing. I struggle to remember too, Max, whether I have any plans or not. The first time, I felt quite unmanned.
Cheers,
Bill
> On 28 May 2014, at 9:59 am, Max Richards <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Bill, you nail much of this recurring situation and the thoughts prompted.
>
> When I ask the youngish ones about themselves,
> they tend to say they are students with assignments
> falling due.
>
> Did you have a good weekend?
> is another standby.
> My first response is
> I don’t remember.
>
> I do recall a parent-child standard exchange
> (maybe it was the title of a book)
> Where did you go?
> Out.
> What did you do?
> Nothing.
>
> Max
>
>> On 28 May 2014, at 7:50 am, Bill Wootton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> Have you got any plans?
>>
>> It's the new intrusion
>> at the checkout.
>>
>> Well, do you?
>> No casual enquiry
>>
>> this conversational prompt.
>> A management directive?
>>
>> Whether you admit
>> you don't or say you do,
>>
>> the polite follow-up
>> would surely be Do you?
>>
>> Flirting, supermarket style
>> to the accompaniment
>>
>> of coin jingle, bar code
>> blip, wallet flourish.
>>
>> Then again, if tied
>> to the till, anyone
>>
>> with trolley and time
>> must seem free.
>>
>> Or, hang on a second,
>> has the checkout chick
>>
>> exposed a yawning?
>> Just what in hell
>>
>> are your intentions
>> on this blue planet?
>>
>> bw
>
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