The heroes of Wycombe

At lunchtime today Frogmoor was still white with snow. I suppose it makes a change from looking at the bland expanse of concrete which that once lovely part of town has become.

Gritting lorries are buzzing around the roads, buses are running half empty and some of the slackers in society are still using the snow as an excuse to bunk off work and stay at home.

Let's not forget those who work through this weather to provide us with services that help to enhance our lives.

I am of course talking about the paper deliver men, milkmen, postmen (and women!), taxi drivers, bus drivers, all the doctors, nurses and those in the emergency services.

Every morning without fail I have got up early and there ready waiting for me has been a pint of milk and my daily newspaper ready for me to read while yours truly eats a hearty breakfast.

Surely these heroes who work through even the worst weather should be given an award in recognition of the role the play in our daily lives?

I pity those who have shunned doorstep deliveries in favour of the newfangled supermarkets. Having to go out to get essential supplies every day in this weather must be so inconvenient.

As far as I am concerned having tradesmen calling early in the morning to deliver the essentials to keep a house running is a sign of social status indeed I still mourn the passing of daily deliveries from the baker, butcher and farmer who used to deliver eggs.

Since falling on hard times even my good self has been relegated to occasionally visiting supermarkets usually for bread.

It has been interesting to note that when the snow arrived essential supplies like bread have been in quite short supply in some supermarkets.

All it takes is a run on a commodity and the usual stock levels soon provide insufficient.

Only the other day my good self was in a town centre supermarket buying bread. With a long best before date it seemed rather tempting to buy a weeks supply all in one go and save myself the hard work of having to cart bread home every day.

With only a few loaves left my purchase would empty the shop leaving others who followed to find a bare shelf.

So what should I do? Buy just enough for that day or fill my cupboard to the brim potentially leaving others to find another shop with supplies left or even potentially go hungry?

Of course if someone had come before me and bought all the bread then I myself may have found an empty shelf.

I am sure you agree it's an interesting ethical dilemma and one that has no doubt been played out in many supermarkets since the bad weather started.

If we had home deliveries of regular orders by the independent tradesmen such as bakers and butchers like in yesteryear then it would not be possible to take food that could be meant for others.

Maybe the ways of the past were actually socially fairer than the commercially driven supermarkets of plenty?

So what do you think I did in that shop when buying bread? I will reveal what my decision was by leaving a comment on this blog on Saturday evening....

What do you think?

*Don't forget to read my regular column in this Friday's edition of the printed version of the Bucks Free Press!

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