The early morning finds me aimlessly trying to walk off the effects of the night before when my mind is forced to remember two of the breakthrough discoveries of the last twenty four hours.
Firstly, the madness is back, hiding in the corner and affecting my judgement. I know this is the result of the previous week’s anniversary and know that now I have acknowledged that lurking beast for what she is, I can soon be rid of her devious charms. The second discovery, well, when I say discovery it is something that I have known for a while, but never really considered the consequences, was brought about during a conversation with “Professor Gonzo” as we saw a sign reading “Includes a Free Drink” while passing one of the many bars and restaurants that litter this island.
“It’s all about added value these days,” I declared, “You can only sell something if people believe they are getting something for nothing.” The Professor nodded, but I could see his thoughts were considerably more focused on the promise of “Charred Beast Flesh” that lay at the end of our journey to be drawn into a debate on modern marketing methods.
But as I walk to the sound of seagulls whilst inhaling the scent of a saline and seaweed encrusted breeze (I miss the sea, these sensory visions must be in my head) I realise how bad this marketing ploy has become, and how I am happily selling my dreams on the promise of “Buy one, you get one free… I said you buy one, you get one free…”
I see multiple houses and apartments built on land that was never big enough for a single house years ago are “snapped up” by young families thanks to the “Government Subsidised” twenty percent deposit being offered by the builder to help ensure the dream of buying your own home, replacing the dream of owning a nice house with a decent sized garden where the kids can play…
I notice how the car, bought with the promise of better miles per gallon and a “cut price” road tax to is set to keep me happy about the money I have saved whilst forgetting the big V8 muscle car that I have always wanted but can never again afford to run...
I see a woman; her door is open, keys still in the lock as she sits at the bottom of her stairs. There is no sign of any shopping. No food. No happiness. An understanding that not only is she not living her dreams, but at her age she will “never get to dream again” is written on her face…
I note how the holiday with the “free child places” that would bring such happiness to my family as we set off for a week’s vacation in Tenerife or Rhodes, forgetting my dream to live as hippies for a month on the Indian coast, or see family and friends in Australia that I have not seen since they were kids…
There are the “Buy one, get one free” associated with windows, doors, curtains, carpets, tools and so much more to help me not only invest in the improvement of my domicile, but also to add value to the residence I will never be able to afford to exchange for the quiet house in the country with the apple trees and the white picket fence that I have always dreamed of owning…
And coming back to the simple bar on the street with its offer of a “Free drink” with my meal that leaves me happy that I am able to drink a glass of wine with my “medium rare” eight ounce steak, when all the time forgetting that what I really wanted to have lobster and champagne that will be forever outside of my budget… I dream.
This is a side effect of the condition I may have mentioned earlier that fools me into doing this quite a lot. But dreams are what drive us as a species to always seek what is better, faster, higher, safer, etc, etc. Without dreams there would be no art, no man in space, no medicines and no individuality. So as I am being slowly herded into the line that leads directly to the grinder I ask myself how many of my real dreams you have sacrificed in the name of this “Added Value” (Tax)…
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