Coles and Wollies

2 am Poetry (with a little 2am phillosophy littly dirizzled over)

I remeber as as a kid going To Coles, the Variety store. And sometimes Wollies was right next door

Fleming and Frankliins were supermarket chains

The price you paid determined the width of the lanes

Overnight it seemed

Coles and Wollies grew

Variety stores then supermarkets too.

“We can do fruit” said one to the other

“and put out of bussiness Vegie, his brother”

And the press said “The public is sad”

“Bye green grocer, so sad, too bad

We kinda liked Con and his mother”

as we threw in another banana

Beetroot and apples into the trolley

Its more convenient than….

Sorry Con and Molly

I remember the deli

I remember the smell

I remember exoctic labels and cheese like bells

If you want to get romantic, they came from distant lands to end up right here.

In my hands.

Then one day Coles had Honey

Made from Manuka Bees

Olives,Sausage

All types of cheese

and bought the delis to their knees

“Its far to much” One Polly cried

Over white Burgundy and Barra

Lightly fried

“They are getting too Big! We got our eye on you!”

As they choppped the Butcher and fishmonger too.

Over a round of golf it was also discussed

Extended hours

They are a must

And as I grew. They did too

Corner shops went and Sundays too

They worked their staff

7 to 11

in order to compete with

Well… you know who.

Coles to Wollies

“Feel like a Servo?”

“Lets take two”

“I Bags Shell, Leaves Caltex for you”

“Spoken to the Pollies?”

“One or two said yes”

“Take them to dinner and convince the rest”

“By the way, who are you?”

“ The Fresh food people. You?”

“Cheaper prices sound good to you?”

“They got to big minister, what do we do?

I’m a little scared. between me and you”

“Yes minister right away. Yes, draft a bill to say

“Its All OK”

“On the phone Betty, cant you see”

“Sorry Mr Wollie, between you and me

I rekon make Aldi No.3.

And you have the Grog shops, your Happy

And we look good allowing a competition spree

Anyway

who wants to buy a steak Next to a TV?”

As I get older,

More synical too

Wiser, bolder but only a little

True

I wonder who made these variety stores huge

Wasnt it really me and you?

And when. they are the only shops

and prices soar and discounts stop

Who’s left with the power to really. say “NuP”