Global HQ (WFH) News: aeroplanes and shopkeepers

Apparently flights to Lisbon are starting again next week, according to the man in the Myddleton deli kitchen. “How does social distancing work in a plane?” I asked. “It doesn’t,” he answered. “Oh.”.

Outside in the street, shoppers form an orderly queue some nearly three metres apart, from the other potential plague carriers. Once inside the deli, it’s a treasure trove of recently acquired new Italian delicacies. The “only two at a time” rule applies and there’s a slightly mysterious white border line on the floor that carves from the chill cabinet to the the tomatoes section opposite.

People, like in an airport, excitedly buy anything, for fear it may not be there tomorrow. There’s a whiff of old Europe here, uneasy supplies won’t last, mysterious East-West checkpoints. I overbuy too. They are selling excellent Chianti Riserva at more reasonable prices than the Amwell Shop up the road opposite the pub.

Anyhow the point is that the excited shoppers, having done their social distancing dance outside so well, then get their goods from the chaps serving, heave their swag into plastic bags held by David, and then leave. They are inches away from each other. It’s the same show with the chap in the corner shop. Obviously, shoppers believe shopkeepers are immune from coronavirus, even though they have more contact with potential plague-carriers than anyone else, by dint of their occupation.

Myddletons are having a good war since they only very recently diversified into Italian food. It now has loads of good quality pasta, tomato sauces, condiments, jams and they always run out of bread in the morning (oddly only vast white loaves tend to be left unbought). The big man asks if I work in finance. I say sort of, marketing City stuff. He says his daughter just nearly got a first in international business and was looking for a job “in finance”. I explained it was quite wide waterfront of difference, plus any chance she was good at the tech stuff, as global HQ is moi. He looked a bit dubious. I will investigate further. It would too exciting to have a creature of webbery and techno – on my doorstep. I could ease out to the Garden, enjoy the wine and the young thing could sort my technologies inside, obviously hand washed up and ready to go. Plus the family are making good money, so of influence in the territory, like something out of Clochemerle.