The Meerkat Muse: 21st of May, 2025
Welcome back to the Meerkat Muse! What do I have to say for myself, as we move through May?
Jobsworths
Two weeks ago, to the day, I was at work awaiting a store delivery, which showed up in the late morning. All was generally well, though the driver initially thought he was collecting something (never on the agenda, at least not as far as I knew). During the course of the conversation, he noted an interaction with a guy loitering outside, a guy wearing a bodycam. It turns out this guy was working on behalf of… well to be fair, I have no idea who he was working for, but bodycam guy said he’d recorded the driver dropping a cigarette butt on the ground, and so he was going to fine him for littering. The driver, in his own words, told the guy to ‘piss off’, but when he went back outside to get my delivery, entered into a conversation with the bodycam guy.
Well, I say conversation, the guy was talking to the driver whilst the driver got into the cab of his van, started the engine, and after a few seconds drove off, complete with the delivery intended for the store! Off he went, leaving cam guy standing around for several minutes (presumably to see if he came back), before he too eventually wandered off. The driver never came back, but to make life more awkward for me, I had signed for the delivery, at the driver’s request! I spoke to my transport team, making sure they were aware of the quirky circumstances.
On one level, I understand that the cam guy was doing a job. I dare say it’s the sort of job that few people want to do, because getting told to piss off is probably one of the milder remarks to come his way. He is also likely employed on behalf of the local council, or works for a private company on behalf of the council. Contrary to what I thought, private companies that are licenced by the council can issue legally binding fines in these circumstances. Now, if you do not give your details to the person issuing the fine, I have no idea how they would find you, but in the case of the driver, there’s every chance the cam guy would have clocked his licence plate, and the name of the company he works for.
I guess the moral of this story is, don’t litter.
Tiberius Boy
I recently took part in a fascinating interview with Tiberius Boy, a young man from the USA who likes to interview people with a variety of backgrounds. We devoted a fair bit of time to discussing my job as a bathroom designer, though that was hardly the only topic! I will share the link as soon as I have it.
Envying the Wife
My wife has a booking for a new tattoo, which makes me jealous. I want a new tattoo! I have a plan for one, but it’s fairly elaborate, which therefore means it will be expensive too. It involves a dragon, and The Legend of Zelda, and where it would go, I don’t know. I ought to flesh this out a bit more. There is another idea, which involves the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a show I grew up watching. I’m still keen on Star Fox too. Argh, too many options, and not enough money!
Sunny Days
May has been quite pleasant, with plenty of bright blue skies to enjoy, and warm weather. At one stage there was the suggestion of thunderstorms, but in my neck of the woods we didn’t see any. Sometimes this is vaguely disappointing, because a good thunderstorm can be exciting, but on the other hand, it does tend to soak everything, so I will settle for the bright blue sky, and the sunshine. Of course, as soon as I had written this, it clouded over somewhat.
The Old Man
As I was walking home, I passed a couple of lads, and one of them started… well, I guess you’d call it rapping. He was basically narrating me, as I walked down the path, which was weird, but generally harmless. That is, it was harmless, until he referred to the ‘old man’ walking down the path. Old?! I mean, I’m certainly greyer than I used to be, and I don’t feel young anymore, but old?! Nah, not quite yet!
The Hidden Danger
Last Friday we had our boiler serviced, and to the horror of my wife and I, it turns out the flue in our boiler has been leaking, creating a potentially dangerous, even fatal situation. Fortunately the problem has been identified, and at some point in the not-so-distant future we will get a new boiler. Exactly when is up to the council, we shall see if they act efficiently.
Slow Times
Work has been a curious combo of busy and quiet. We’ve not exactly been inundated with people through the door, but on the other hand it feels like inquiries and issues are keeping everyone busy. We have also had a stocktake to occupy time, a finicky experience, as they always are. I am religiously checking the bookshop careers page for opportunities.
The slow times cover off more than work. I feel like I’m grinding toward some much-needed time off, which starts early next week. It’s only for a few days, but it will make a difference to not have to set a 6 am alarm every morning!
So, with that thought, I conclude this latest edition of the Meerkat Muse! Until next time…
