Shop Truths, Phrases, Tales; and Outright Lies

[Philip Davies]

You’re too right!
What set me off recalling past traumas was hearing that the organisation I work for was proposing a cosmetic re-brand. New shop fronts, new work shirts, whole range of stationery, etc.
Now, our function is to supply furniture and household goods to those in need. (Sometimes they are not so needy, but mostly they are. In desperate need.) my work, which I have done since my crack up and early retirement, is furniture repair and shopfitting, by which is meant installation of fittings in commercial premises. But I also collect non ferrous metal or dismantle stuff. This makes a muddle, but they do quite well. In the UK, you can no longer turn up at a scrapyard and come away with cash. They send cheques when I bring them the ticket.
So I am straining my fingers, wearing out tools and I doubt that I get them more than 50p an hour. Meanwhile, the staff who sort the bric a brac are unaware that old brass, pewter etc fetches high money and throw tatty objects into the rubbish, to landfill. All they have to do is keep it for the van guys and bring it to me in the warehouse. I have been telling them this for over a decade.
So the argument goes that the shops look a little bit “tired”.
When they opened their new furniture store, which is actually very presentable to the customers, I partitioned off an office space, reclaiming plasterboard from the alterations. Couldn’t do a ceiling, no money for it. So you have this gloomy interior space where the admin have to sit all day, and WHERE THEY BRING THE INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE , like the mayor and the bishop!
Still it’s all about style, not substance.
Hope you enjoyed this anecdote.
Kind regards
Philip