There is much going wrong these days I struggle to make sense of things. However, with some life experience under our belts we owe it to our up and coming generations to provide them with some food for thought. Beware the middleman!
Here’s a flavour and one of my pet hates. We see some of this on Social Media, sure you will all have spotted it. A story:
A woodman, carpenter called Toby has spent his life in the forest selecting and harvesting wood. He has honed his skills and can produce a beautiful table in a week. He charges £20, makes a workable profit to feed his family and every week somebody get a beautiful table. He could work a bit quicker and do 3 in 2 weeks but he is doing just fine. People locally know the woodman and value what he does.
One day a guys, let’s call him Mike comes upon the woodman and admires his work. £20 for the table is great value he tells him. What would it cost me if I took 5 tables, he enquires. This will take him almost a month but it is 5 tables. If he does £18 there is less profit but that multiplies by 5 so he reluctantly agrees. He is not a business man, he is a wood carver. He gets to work.
In the background Mike begins to do his stuff. He asks Toby to put his name on the table. He will call this a Toby table.
Mike produces great drawings of the table. The table is designed by a famous wood carver whose family have been making this unique table for 500 yers. It is made of a rare high quality wood that has terrific health benefits and becomes more beautiful with age. The drawing shows the table with a whole family around it and a sumptuous dinner spread. The wood is so hard and durable it is almost impossible to mark, scratch or damage. If there is a problem, Toby will come along and repair it for free.
Mike travels around the town but also further afield taking orders for Toby table. Mike is selling the famous Toby table at a special price of £30. Given the quality and pedigree of the table this is a get bargain.
A month later Mike returns to Toby and places an order for 20 tables. He needs a buy in price of £16. However, although there is a lot less profit it is times 20 so Toby makes a bit of money but frankly he is now working flat out and hardly sees his family.
Time goes by and Toby is questioning the wisdom of his decision. His peaceful, satisfying life seems very distant now. He hasn’t heard from Mike for some time?
In fact, Mike has moved on. He is now selling ‘speciality’ hand carts in another region that re designed to prevent back strain and can take a greater load??
Meanwhile, the local in Toby’s area re not best pleased. Word is spreading that the Toby table has no magical powers, no health benefits and the tables re all looking a bit grubby as they required ‘no looking after?’ The mood shifts up a gear as people realise they have been conned. Nobody has seen Mike for months. However, the name Toby is on the table, they know where he is and clearly he was in on the con.
One day, the locals decide to take matters into their own hands. They march into the forrest, find Toby, string him up and hang him from a tree as an example to others who dare con the locals.
A year on, a traveller meets Mike and thinks he recognises him. He asks him if he heard that Toby had been lynched by a local mob. Mike says ‘who – never heard of him. Now, can I interest you in this speciality cart? … it can …..