Westworld?

[Ellie]

No....Im not talking about the movie...but life as I seem to be experiencing lately!
I visited my local Boots today (well 12 miles away in Boston)Its been undergoing refurbishments...I was in the store 2 mins and a little older lady(in Boots unifrom) practically ran up to me saying"Can I help you?"..I must have looked very puzzled & replied "No its ok I know what I want thanks"..........found the lipstick and went to pay............when I heard a cold robotic voice saying'Cashier no 2'....'Cashier no5..and found myself on the end of a long winding queue....I thought to myself 'my god Im in the wrong shop...its the post office!! but no I reassured myself it was Boots.'after 15-20 mins I finally got to Cashier (whatever no )..to pay..giving me my change the woman then pushed a pad of raffle tickets towards me..saying d'you want to buy a ticket!!......I felt a sense of panic& surrealism..I said a polite 'no thanks' and escaped out into the fresh air....
Tonight..my son told me hed been into Woolworths during his lunch break and that store has become exactly the same...line of little pay desks..and the same mechanical robot voice saying.Cashier no 3..Cashier no 4 and son ad infinitum.....
I found myself longing to be in CVOs Postoffice..no matter how hot.. no matter how long I have to wait..just to feel real/alive...even to go back to sticking my stamps on with those little pots of glue that made so much mess.......
My Portuguese friend complains about thelarge Intermarche store..how its so impersonal ..that no ones that friendly there etc....she loves the smaller shops where you can chat and take your time ..where people know you.....Eugenia sweetie.you aint seen nothing yet
sorry Ive rambled on so..difficult to condense what Im trying to say.....I just get afraid that we are or will lose our natural ways of interacting with each other.........
we are the Western world but I hope & pray we dont become 'Westworld'
p.s.isnt it bliss to go into a little shop thats 'music free' and just browse? or stroll through market stalls....give me that anyday...especially in Algarve .............Boa noite

[Gerry Cullen]

Yea i know exactly what you mean...jaysus i love rural ireland.we may want to know all about you ..your family ..assorted pets and sexual prefrences ..but when you wander into the chemist to look at the sunglasses and the assisant (sonia)ASKS LOUDLY HOWS THE PILES ..god dont you just feel like one of the family.
ger

[Sonia]

So - how ARE the piles Gerry?
Good Man so.

[Ellie]

think what Im getting at here is 'cold efficiency'..sometimes it drives me nuts
like going into a house thats too neat&tidy ..iwanna throw things onto the floor.....
and when I see policemen walking along(usually in pairs)with that look of superiority..I want to grab their ....no not hat!......
just to wipe that smug look of their face.............
Ive had this urge for years
like sitting in the doctors surgery...everyone waiting patiently ..all orderly..I have the terrible urge to stand up and...strip off
just to see the look on the receptionist's face
d'you have secret urges?
Gerry..hope the 'farmers' gets better soon dear..if not..Im sure 'Sonia' will have just the right ...ointment

[Guest]

Did you know Gerry, supermodels put piles ointment around their eyes to hide wrinkles? Seemingly it tightens the skin so maybe if you put it on your face it will knock the years off Hope the head is healing well !!

[ME@Work]

Re: My Portuguese friend complains about thelarge Intermarche store..how its so impersonal ..that no ones that friendly there etc....she loves the smaller shops where you can chat and take your time ..where people know you.....Eugenia sweetie.you aint seen nothing yet

A very good post ellie! My sympathy and thoughts likewise!!!

I hate this commercialism and inpersonal way we seem to need to deal with each-other.....?!

I had a minor confrontation like this this morning.....a huge crowding up effect, people annoying each-other in a communal place! It gets too busy here where I live and the behaviour changes . people get harder and indeed inpersonal.

I am only 29 and hopefully have many years toi come but if it goes on like this I will certainly moce somewhere else.

I do hope places like CVO will stick to that one intermarche and let CVO be as it was and is........a nice place to be!

[Lesley Jean]

Hi Ellie,
That is so strange, yesterday I went into Taunton (Local Westcoutry Town) and had the same experience in Woolies, 'cashier no1 please, cashier no 6 please' never happened before, they must have done it overnight all over the country, robots, taking over, who will be next? the banks are at it, the building societies also, oh no who will be the next to go!!!!!!!!!!!
Luckily our home town of Chard has a tiny Boots where you que up to pay and talk to people, always ask how you are as most have worked there for years and know you. Post Office is the same, as are all the small stores, even our local Tesco has really friendly staff. Long may it continue.

[Ellie]

Morning all !
Lesley..Im glad Im not the only one!
I had distinct feeling of 'summer madness' creeping over me yesterday'robots taking over the world' etc! I was so glad to have lovely long walk in the Wolds afterwards..to be in touch withthe natural world once more (even though it was raining )
When the cashier shoved a book of raffle tickets under my nose...I nearly cracked ..for a moment I thought i was in an episode of 'One foot in the Grave'!!
But can you answer my question....about secret urges please?......cos when Im in these situations I want to 'disrupt' everything....do you feel the same? I just cant stand 'artificial' places for long!
Im the same with people.Cannot stand pretension/snobbery...its bad enough living next to a 'Hyacinth Bucket'..but thats another story.........

[eco/spider]

Trouble with us brits is that we are easily herded into lines, we wait qietly for our number to be called by some snotty individual who looks at you as though you were regurgitated squid sucker and serves you as if they were doin you a favour. My pet hate is docters recepsionists, (a contridiction in terms) who give you the third degree to find out if you need to see a doctor,I always tell them in a loud voice that a can't stop scatching my scrotum, it normally works. I had a mate who could clear a line in seconds, he could deliver a flowery fart to order, that sorted them.
Ellie, as for urges go,An urge I have is to see you in a low neckline picking up some money you may have dropped, please, please, please let it come true, sod it now iv'e dropped my pickled onion

[ME2]

I just cant stand 'artificial' places for long!
Im the same with people.Cannot stand pretension/snobbery...its bad enough living next to a 'Hyacinth Bucket'..but thats another story.........

Hiya Ellie,

I think it is a positive thing that you experience that, you seem like a 'nature person' who sticks close to her true selve...........of course this quality is also reflected in your writing skills.............. some true soul art that is! I am a believer of spirituality ( Reincarnation , soul improvement etc.....) and what you state goes for me as well. I see myself as a sensitive person and from there I just can't stand these hard and inpersonal influences. I'd rather stick to nature...........and the personal natural approach of things .......

[Lesley Jean]

Well Ellie, I can't say I have any secret urges in that respect. I do feel like saying something totaly stupid or rude to people who use the same way of talking to each and every person, like to girl who washes your hair at the hairdresser, always asks 'are you going on holiday' or the doctors receptionist who says 'how are you' (why would you be there if you were ok?) you know the 'what would madam like today' or 'can I help you or are you just looking' ahhhhhhhhh they make me mad because they don't meant it, it is just what they have to say to all the customers, it isn't really what they are thinking.
Mind you I quite like some of your ideas, would be fun!!

[Ellie]

Thanks for your nice words 'Me2'..appreciate
Its a bit like the obsession with being beautiful in todays world isnt it? But whats the point of having perfect looks/body if you have no soul/feelings and I do believe everyone has a kind of beauty anyway but it comes from within..and shows on the face..someone with animated features and wonderful sense of humour I find very attractive...
If we all end up with 'botox' injections and absolutely perfect white teeth..we will indeed all start to look the same.....become robots?

[Ellie]

I do know what your mean Lesley..sometimes feel if I hear 'd'you need any help with your packing' one more time at the Tescos checkout I will indeed scream !
But bless them...theyre always so nice and friendly..that I often think its just 'me' !!
Hey Lesley! Bet your 'escapism' is with M&M yes?..thatll get them guessing
Jusr read Ecos post.........
You read a lot of the 'Bard' do you Spider?
With such 'flowery phrases' who needs a Will
Oh..and Im very careful about not dropping money!
(This reminds me of that play......'She Stoops To Conquer' . ..sorry..that wasnt very good was it ? )
P.S. Hope you saw the pics of wolves that Steen put on yesterday(on Lobo topic) Lesley&all?

[norbri]

During our travels a few years ago we drove through Yellowstone National Park and were amazed by the sight of a wolf, with a large bird in its mouth, crossing the road in front of our vehicle. Though we were all excited by this site I believe the bird [lunch] was probably not quite as pleased.
But that is nature. We also had the opportunity to visit the bear and wolf rescue at West Yellowstone Montana which I believe was associated with attempts to re populate the Yellowstone wolves and was a sanctuary for "displaced" bears. These were bears that had become a problem as a result of tourists feeding them and then the bear becoming "over insistent" with begging food, often violently.
The first measure of the park authorities is to re locate the bear to a more remote location if it becomes a problem. Some bears have returned 50 miles or more, second offence may mean the bear is re-homed in a controlled environment. If measures 1 & 2 fail I believe bears have been shot !! All because some folk will not respect the guidance regarding the parks animals. An 800lb bear is a truly magnificent sight. Perhaps it would be best to shoot the illiterate 160lb tourist !!! Oops sorry must not go off on one. Kinda similar problem with the wolves and superstitious hunters.

[Guest]

Great reading that Norbri!
and boy would I like to have seen some of that!
My oldest son went to Canada when he was 20...and was taken I believe ..along a route, he saw & took pics off a huge bear eating from a garbage bin at side of road!
Yes like you ..I hate the thought of these wonderful creatures being shot ..its our fault rally isnt it?
Incidently ..hope you saw pics of wolves Steen put on for me on 'Lobo' topic?....just popped on here whilst waiting for supper to cook......Ellie