Monday, March 11, 2013

sex , shopping, wind and snow

Man and woman contemplate their status in the modern world and try to play them down.

A new feature of  Sainsbury's is the self-checkout which is noticeable  as customers learn the knack of operating the machines. Unlike  those in Morrison's every station has its own loudspeaker which addresses the shopper with the same words.  As there are several of them when you pass the line of machines you hear a strange chorus of overlapping statements. A polite but firm woman's voice: Welcome to Sainsbury's self-checkout. Thank you for using Sainsbury's self-checkout.   Please follow the instructions on the card machine.   Please take remove your card....There is an unexpected item on the weighing platform...." The phrases are interchangeable and monotonous. It requires someone like John Adams to produce an opera  set in a modern  supermarket. People versus machines might be one of the themes.   That and brand loyalty and brand betrayal. Two for the Price of One an aria.

The cold weather is back and with it  snow. Small snow flakes stream  in the wind, or when the wind drops. swarm like pale insects reluctant to settle.

2 comments:

Lucas said...

I could not see a comment option, so I clicked on "sexual stereotypes" in blue writing under the post and the Comments came back. The description of the Sainsbury's checkout machines is spot on!

tristan said...

and sometimes people say thankyou back, even though the machine has no ears