2.

I always knew I would work for the family business when I grew up. My dad was a butcher, my granddad was a butcher, my great granddad was a butcher and my great, great granddad was an artist but we don’t talk about him much.

We did alright, our family. I went to a decent school, had all the proper clothes and smart shoes. There were plenty of kids that couldn’t afford the school uniform then, but I could. Yeah, my family did alright. I even went to footy club after school on a Friday. Those clubs aren’t cheap. That were £3 a week, straight outta the pocket. Speaking of pockets, I got pocket money too. There weren’t many kids who got pocket money, that’s for sure. I used to spend 50p on sweets every week. That was the life. They were good times.

I remember when the Supermarket came. Everyone does, it changed everyone’s lives. I don’t know anyone that wanted a Supermarket. Our town already had a greengrocers and a corner shop. Nice family owned that corner shop too, I knew their kid well, that Clive Andrews. Like I said, I dunno who wanted the Supermarket. I think I heard someone talking about convenience once. I don’t see what’s convenient about a half hour search for half a pint o’ milk. Bloody ridiculous.

Yeah, everyone’s lives changed. Our mam couldn’t get us them smart shoes anymore. I felt that one alright. I used to get wet feet walking home from school, all those holes in me shoes. And football, that were a thing of the past. Corse we still played it in the park but I couldn’t go to footy club no more. And I had to leave the team.

We weren’t the worst off by any means. We still have our butchers shop and I still have 50 pence to spend on sweets a week. I gave that 50 pence to the Andrew’s corner shop every Monday ,whether I wanted sweets or not. Did everything I could to keep them going. It weren’t enough though. They lost everything, their shop, their house. I haven’t seen Clive Andrews for a good long time. Guess he moved school. He never said nothing.

My Dad would make a joke out of it. I know he was scared we would lose our business but he’s popular in the neighbourhood and he still does everything he can to keep us going. The other day, he put a big sign up saying our rump steak had been reduced to £1.50. It weren’t long before the Supermarket reduced their rump steak to £1.49. So he put it right down to £1, and the Supermarket put theirs down to 99 pence. That’s when he put it his down to 50 pence. The very same day we had an official looking man come down from the Supermarket and march right into our shop. He said “this is ridiculous, it has to stop. Surely you can’t afford to sell your rump steak at 50p?”
My dad said to him, “I don’t know what you’re talking about sir; it’s not costing us anything”.
The Supermarket bloke looked confused. “Surely it costs you more than you’re selling it for just to buy it in?” he asked. “You must be losing money”.
And my dad said “I don’t know how you mean sir, we don’t sell rump steak”. Then my dad looked at me and we laughed and laughed. The supermarket man went bright red in the face, and we laughed even more!
Then he said, “well what do you say to people when they come in to your shop looking to buy rump steak? You know as well as I do that false advertisement is illegal”.
“Simple”, said dad. “We tell ‘em they can buy it that cheap at the Supermarket. Our sign doesn’t say we sell it here, sir. Now I don’t mean to be rude but I’ve got customers to serve. Good day to you.”

It's not a joke though. I started this by saying I always knew I would work for the family business one day but that's not true anymore. Anything could happen to us now. I just hope I always have somewhere to live, that's all I can ask for really. God have mercy on us.