Screw it - there's too much to write about

I'm in the supermarket this afternoon and I overhear this conversation between this guy, his wife and a person working for the supermarket. I don't know who they are so here's my read of the situation.

The guy is maybe mid to late 40s, and the woman is probably his wife or partner or whatever. The person working for the supermarket is definitely a manager. This is clear due to the tie he is wearing and the fact that he is listening intently to what they are saying.

The customers are clearly unhappy. They want some answers from the supermarket guy. They are having a heated discussion, not yet an argument, right in front of the tomatoes. The vine tomatoes to be precise. I know this because I'm trying to get at the damn things and can't get past this trio as they chat oblivious to the actual shopping going on around them.

The crux of the discussion. The guy is miffed that the tomatoes are not grown in Ireland. He can't understand it. He's hypothesising out loud to the supermarket manager about the possible reasons to explain the stocking of tomatoes sourced outside of Ireland.

He then rolls out his conversational Howitzer.

He says, con molto sarcasmo, "maybe the decision is made for purely commercial reasons".

I had to move on at this stage. I'm no business guru but aren't all decisions about what to sell in a retail environment made for purely commercial reasons? Of course they are. Those stores that sell stuff that makes no commercial sense are all gone out of business by now.

So what is the argument here. The patriotic view of selling locally made produce. I agree that locally made produce should be sold but business is business. You would be an idiot to stock Irish-grown tomatoes if they represent bad business.

Businesses should make a contribution to the society in which they operate. I don't think it should be a case of we'll sell locally made stuff today but we might have to lay everyone off when we go bust in a few months.

I bought a bunch of stuff for the barbecue which I had tonight with the family. I smell like I have been out with a fire crew dealing with an industrial blaze. I changed my fuel and I'm not sure it was a success at all.

More on that later.