As I cycled across Chiswick Back Common in the miserable drizzly rain yesterday afternoon I was cheered by the wonderful bubbly giggling and chattering of innumerable small children. The local primary school were out on the tennis courts, the five-a-side pitches and indeed the soggy grass for their PE - and enjoying themselves. In the face of the deepest, sharpest slow-down/recession/depression of recent times these diminutive innocents were as happy as the proverbial Larry. Brand 'child' is alive and kicking.
The experience was somewhat enhanced by the fact that I had indeed cycled through the grim weather to the big Sainsbury's just to buy some strawberry shoelaces. Inadvertently I had promised these to my own diminutive innocent as a bribe to get her to go to drama club. I didn't know then how hard they are to find - but as I searched various newsagents and convenience stores I remembered the packet at home that had distinctly borne a Sainsbury logo. So I pushed on to reach the superstore. The marvel was that I scoured the store for the sweetie section, located the desired product, found they were '3 for a pound' which coincided beautifully with my requirement for 3 packets - and managed to check out and leave the shop having spent only the one pound. I was probably bucking the typical Sainsbury shopper trend as their profits are up 15% and there were healthy queues at the checkouts of well-stacked trollies.
I however felt strangely noble in my reserve, and of course very worthy on my bike. The lovely cheerful children was the added icing on top of the strawberry shoelace success. How hard times make us appreciate the small things. Next wave of optimism - preparing for the upturn...
