Martial Law Declared in UK Supermarket!
By p1kef1sh
@p1kef1sh (45681)
December 10, 2008 5:31am CST
This morning there was mini crisis in the P1ke household. We had P1ke's favourite Bran Flakes but no milk to put on them. They may taste like cardboard, but I like them tasting like WET cardboard. So off to the store I went. Now our local supermarket is quite large and this being the run up to Christmas, people were thronging the store at 10am. But what really caught my eye was the fact that there were soldiers on the doors, both in and out. At the end of every checkout there was a soldier. Another stood guard by the Post Office and miscellaneous military types roamed the aisles. This part of the UK is very much military country and there were many smart ex-soldiers doing their shopping looking on approvingly. If this was the store's new look they liked it! A little military discipline won't hurt the slack alices that normally masquerade as store assistants. Turns out that the Army chaps and chapesses were in fact collecting for a military charity. With great success by the looks of things. Young soldiers were keenly helping shoppers load their bags, taking charge of parking queues (with some success) and generally being "helpful". Teary eyed military mothers held the arms of these young chaps and told them about how their sons and daughters are in Iraq or Afghanistan and how proud we are of of them - and so we should. I also saw astonishingly large sums being thrust into collecting boxes and of course contributed myself. So what's the strangest thing that you've seen in your town recently?
4 people like this
15 responses
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
10 Dec 08
Our town is pretty quiet except for the local thugs and the local news, there isn't much going on at all..
I think your post is absolutely wonderful and it shows a true insight into the young men and women serving in the military.. The soldiers and the ex-soldiers are doing as grand a job as anyone can/could under the circumstance they are/were landed into... I think that it is great that you had the opportunity to have this wonderful shopping experience.. All of the good in the world is being drwoned by the bad.. Great job you have done in reporting a bit of the goodness.. And wet cardboard on top of that, what more can a man ask for..
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
10 Dec 08
The British military (which I worked for/with in some form or another for 31 years) have recently discovered that they aren't as unpopular with the public as they thought that they were. People like to see them about and both the Army and the Supermarket, not forgetting the charity that they were collecting for, have done themselves no harm whatsoever today. A town not too far from here turns out en masse every time the body of a service person is returned home. The people line the streets as the cortege passes. So touched were the local military that they laid on a special march past and parade to honour the town. It may seem sentimental, personally I am proud of the troops of all nations wherever they are. I don't feel the same way about the politicians that send them to these places though.
1 person likes this
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
10 Dec 08
You are 100% correct in honoring the military and having reserve thought about the politicians who send them to fight in some of the forsaken places they have to go to.. There are also quite a few of the anti-war or war protesters who should have to give up their freedoms because they are not supporting the soldiers who are fighting to give them the freedom to run their mouths in the name of peace, such as Jane Fonda, sorry but this is about honoring the military, so I will forget about that piece of trash.. I do respect the military and what they are fighting for, they have no choices in the matter except to do what their respective governments tell them to do, but should a mistake be made, the soldier, who has no experience in any of the things that he is having to do now, he gets the blame for any mistakes he may make in the line of duty..
My husband was in the Army at the time the Vietnam War was was being fought, thank God he didn't have to go to Vietnam because I don't think he would have made it home, that was a very scary era... I say God Bless each and every soldier who has to leave the warm, safe comfort of his home to go to a foreign land and fight for the ones who have never given anything in the name of freedom.. God Bless.. I thank you also for the 31 years that you have played in trying to make the world a better place..
@Rozie37 (15499)
• Turkmenistan
11 Dec 08
The strangest thing that I have seen recently is definitely the signs in the Burger King restaurant next door. The signs on the kitchen, men, and women rooms all had yellow tape on the doors that said, Caution: Enter At Your Own Risk. People went in and out of these doors as if the signs were not even there. And I was afraid to ask why. It was both amusing and frightening, but I dared not enter either door to find out while the signs were posted. I am just not that nosy, thank God.
1 person likes this
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
11 Dec 08
No milk? Oh now that is a disaster. I can live without lots of things but milk and coffee are on my list of cannot live without. I would be quite scared if the military turned up at our local supermarket.
I there is a military base down the road somewhere as I think I have seen a sign for it but I have never seen any soldiers nearby. I would have been highly suspicious about seeing all those military people around.
@ellie333 (21016)
•
10 Dec 08
Hi P1kef1sh, Oh I think that is fantastic and we also have supermarkets that allow similaar here but it is usually cadets packing bags and receiving donations. We have a campaign at the camp to send food and gifts out to the boys. I think the strangest thing that I have seen in my own town recently was MYSELF, I very rarely venture out unless to work, the park or the beach. I really do not like shops at all but I braved it and went into town yesterday, only for an hour, I couldn't cope with the crowds for any more than that. Huggles. Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
10 Dec 08
These were soldiers from the Royal Horse Artillery Ellie. Most of them looked like they were enjoying themselves. What made me laugh was how many people treated it as if it were an everyday occurrence. I know what you mean about the shops. Tomorrow will be worse as Woolworth's tries to sell off all its stock before it closes. Those poor people out of work at Christmas.
2 people like this
@ellie333 (21016)
•
10 Dec 08
One of gthe woman I work with has her private pension with Woolworths from when she worked there for many years and she will need to find out where she stands with that, over 25,000 people it is just so sad. Where is the wonder of Woolies eh! I bought my very first single there, Crocodile Rock by Elton John and my middle daugher favourite bear from birth is Woolly Bear.
I have to queue the Post Office this week too with parcels that will be even more fun thatn the shops earlier in the week.
Online buying this time of year, everytime. LOL.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
10 Dec 08
We don't see many military here, as the base is to the west of us and near a bigger city. I always smile at them and say thanks when I can.
I haven't seen anything really weird, except a mom and dad with five kids that were all very well behaved--they were normal kids, you could see they wanted to get into mischief and the mom had to correct them a couple times but it was done with patience and love. That was kind of weird, but nice.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
10 Dec 08
Well behaved children seen with parents! That's a newsworthy headline all of its own. So many children run amok these days in supermarkets whilst their parents scream ineffectually at them to "Shut up" and that's the polite phrase! I am exaggerating, but it is so good to be reminded that not everyone is a screaming banshee.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
10 Dec 08
Can't think of a single thing interesting lately, guess I don't get out enough! But something interesting is coming up. Every year in our community the Fire Department comes around with all their trucks decorated in Christmas lights. They drive through the streets slowly with their sirens on and give out candy canes. So ask me next week and that will be my interesting thing. lol
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
16 Jan 09
Everything in my town is strange..lol Nothing really I live close to a ordinary town with extra ordinary people. No surprises. I gave to the salvation army,and for abused children and for the police to help buy toys for tots wasn't large amounts merely a bit of change dropped in the bucket and me wishing I could help more.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
17 Jan 09
I guess the little bit adds up with everyone else's little bits together. Like saving pennies. No one usually wants the pennies. I save the pennies..cause they do make dollars when you get enough of them..then everyone wants it again..lol
@riyasam (16556)
• India
10 Dec 08
after the recent wal-mart episode,this shouldnt come as a surprise but what do you say of these??recently i had gone shopping alone ,on the spur,(i usually dont go alone),i went to a resturant.after paying the bill ,i came out.You can imagine my surprise when turning and looking back, I saw that the windows were still boarded over with plywood!But I had been sitting in front of the repaired window and eaten my food by the light of the window and watched people through that window.Was there a time slip or had there been a memory of the window that I had unwittingly been party to. A ghost window?
you check your head.
@CinderInMySoul (4717)
• United States
11 Dec 08
we are a Marine Base small city. i cant say its strange but we also have been seeing more of our men and women in uniform these last few days. they are out and about collecting for the Toys For Tots charity. they do it every year. and every year i see them i cant help but feel proud and a bit teary eyed.
no matter what every time i see one of the soldiers there collecting i always think of that commercial the Marine Corp used to put on the tv during xmas time.
it show a Marine in full dress standing guard inside some building, at attention and all so he couldnt just stoop down and talk to the little boy that came up to him and is asking if he is santa clause. they show the guard maintaining his discipline of course..and they boy says..if you are santa clause i have a list for you" (or something to that effect)..they show the soldier again..stoic of course..then they show a close up of him opening up his white gloved hand and the little boy gasps and puts his list in the soldiers hand...steps back a few feet and says "you are santa clause!" and runs off..then it shows the Marine Corp emblem and the Toys for Tots charity info stuff.
that commercial just catches my heartstrings every single time..shoot even thinking about it here is making me all teary eyed! lol!
@kerriannc (4279)
• Jamaica
11 Dec 08
I have not seen anything as yet. But knowing the citizen of this country by now and next week something definately will turn up. It is good that those soldiers are out there collecting for charity. At this time of year unfortunante persons really need to feel love.
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
10 Dec 08
Hi p1key,
That must have been a lovely sight and I hope they made a lot of money that day, nothing ever happens round here, if it done I would miss it because I don't go out that often, only for shopping, and it has been very quiet latley. Did you mange to get your milk after all that? Hugs.
Tamara
@Humbug25 (12540)
•
11 Dec 08
Hi there p1kef1sh
Well I have thought about this for a day now and I still can't think of anything strange happeningin my town recently, nothing bizarre going on in North Devon at all!! Sorry will keep my eyes peeled just in case so that I can report back to you! LOL
@camomom (7535)
• United States
12 Dec 08
That's a very touching story. I honestly can't think of anything strange that's happened here lately.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
10 Dec 08
After reading your excellent post I had a thought. A big one. Not one of those thoughts that float around lazily in your head and then disappear out of an eye or an ear never to be thought of again. Oh no. I have only one thing to say. If the army were at the doors in large numbers of any supermarket in my adopted country we would hit the ground and cover our heads. Smile at them? No way Jose!
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
10 Dec 08
I don't think that the Army in the UK are seen as especially hostile to the populace as they might be in some places. But for a long time they have been considered to be "out of touch". I was in Singapore recently where the police and army have a "reputation" and in truth discovered that if you spoke to them they were actually very pleasant and courteous. I guess that it depends on the job that they are dong at the time.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
10 Dec 08
There are sevceral things that I miss by not living in the U.K. Art galleries, being in the top priority, English countryside, lardy cake, and the Police Force and Army. I didn't realise that they were thought to be out of touch with the people.
1 person likes this
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
10 Dec 08
WOW! I guess I would have though we were under Martial Law, too Pike, until further assessment of the situation.
We have the Salvation Army here in Canada. The collect money from passers by at many public shopping areas, and use the money to give to the poor. They are dressed sort of miliary, but certainly don't look stuffy or rigid. They look very soft, kind and welcoming.
