A friend and I recently went for a snack in a nice little place in Crouch End.
It was great coffee and cake, but the experience was somewhat spoiled by the fact that my attention was constantly drawn to a large telly screen above the door. This was showing what appeared to be a lecture to a small group by that arsehole Gordon Ramsay. It was difficult to know what exactly was going on because there was no sound; in one sense a relief, because noisy distraction when eating out is a constant pain in the arse.
But I’m always puzzled as to what end proprietors of cafes, bars and restaurants feel is served by displaying a picture with no sound. Now fair enough; if there’s a football or cricket match on, you can see the score at top left and follow the play without the blessing(??) of commentary. But what in the name of fuck is the point of displaying a picture of (say) a film, or a music channel, without the sound? It’s just a completely irritating cunt.
On the way out, sheer curiosity compelled me to ask ‘the barista’ why the place was following this odd and annoying practice, to which I received the reply ‘boss say play picture’. I suspect that’s the closest I’ll ever get to a rational explanation on the matter. In the scheme of things it’s a minor cunt, but it’s a cunt all the same.
Nominated by Ron Knee



