My Life has not always been about teaching and poetry. I've walked in many walks of life at various times and this is a recollection of a hard day's work!THE GOLDEN TICKET The intercom intones that today is audit day, So no smirking kid, Strutting on the store floor Will get away With swiping one golden ticket- Each one being hidden in thickets Of sweaters & bomber-jackets While boys maraud and I,like Midas,horde The coveted golden packets- All in neat stacks just as rack upon rack Of fashionable attire flies out of the door , GET AND SPEND, GET AND SPEND, AND MORE, MORE, MORE! Might be a strapline in the paper Underneath shots of Cindy, Pips or Maud- ...What a caper: they look a trifle bored.. Good lord, weren't they in it last week? Let's take a peak: oops, perhaps best not, They weren't such a law- abiding lot.... But the reverie's end is abrupt, As I see a lady in aisle B erupt: Her sudden shout rings out! " I've got one, I've got one, I 've got ONE ! Call the auditor in case it's not one!" Her face is shining and the lady's happily signing: "A prize, a prize- a prize- what a surprise!" In fact one might surmise This was the first time and, so, Not the worst time of her life- Her face falls .."Oh it's not the cruise- Well... I suppose we could use it As a spare phone or like an I-pod- Actually, I've got a tripod - We can take selfies ! I've got loads of apps." "Come on Mildred! "the husband snaps, "We've got other things to do. Besides you 're holding up the queue." " Well YOU never win anything!" She sniffs, And a prize suddenly sparks one of those almighty tiffs, As they fade gesticulating, agitating out of the exit door. Then I sigh, "Well, that's one down: that leaves three more! I'm anticipating the 5pm roar Of back-to-back traffic forming road blocks. I'm shifting my feet, feeling sore When I get one of those shocks As a kindly big Cyril steps up, smiling and brandishing... OMG: ...TWO ! Well, what a to-do! He's got the cruise ..and the iPhone too! A lady still gleaning the aisles, humphs: " Well, you've come up trumps!", She says, with an air of suspicion - Cyril permission for a promo pic. It's professional, shining and slick: all teeth and smiles and a camera flash. "Well, that' s all done. I've got to dash!" The promoter's off like a shot, Having struck while the iron's hot While I'm stuck, stuck Waiting for the infernal, eternal ONE. Just my luck.... Oh well, its got to be done. Let's hope the shoppers are having fun. Ah! Thank God for Miss O' Grady, A silver-haired lady from Eire: She found it in ladies' underwear! I could kiss her really as it is nearly four- Time to leave early! I'm out the door!.. But no, it's her eyesight, you see: Number four plainly isn't three, And the promo rolls on interminably. My paperwork is also waiting: This is getting aggravating! Then a pint-sized geezer Standing by the soft drinks freezer pipes up: "Mum, mum, mum! Got one!" Mum is just thrilled : she's the hot one: Her blouse is frilled and her jewellery gleams, But little Timmy it seems is the shining star The mums take photos and all say "AAH"" And I smile in relief. That's all done. It's the end of the brief! The boxes are ticked, the promoters are pleased, I find myself squeezed out of the lift As employees in tight formation shift And head in a herd for the doors. Now I, with no hesitation, Depart the, dark, dim, half-lit stores, First shuddering the engine Splutters, revs, and roars... By Dido Walker Copyright, October 4th 2015 |