Falling Short.
Who knew the entire country would run out of excuses?
We may all feel that the past 12 months was a year of loss — lost friends, lost opportunities and a loss of the spirit that fuels our future.
We may perhaps have gained some new bonds and stronger local communities, but maybe not enough to compensate for the multiple disruptions — and no loss will be so keenly felt as the current, severe shortage of excuses.
Working from home leaves no excuse for not reading bedtime stories or tidying the garden. No excuse now for not checking on neighbours, for not cooking, for not helping with homework.
The boss, bless, now has no excuse for not introducing flexible working, and politicians have no excuse for not caring, for not being decisive, or for not understanding the new priorities.
Yes. This has been a time when all manner of understandings and all sorts of default habits can be seen with fresh eyes, better research, and in a harsher less-forgiving context.
Who knew the full impact of austerity — the underfunding of local services, health systems and the entire care sector? Who would have guessed the damage that a lack of preparedness would cause?
No excuses, now.
Who knew how much businesses depended on the European Customs Union — until they couldn’t?
No excuses.
Who knew we should have mourned the sad loss of municipal autonomy?
No excuses.
Who knew the importance of libraries until they were closed?
Who knew the real and devastating extent of poverty?
No excuses.
Who knew the importance of upload speeds or the lack of laptops?
No excuses.
Who knew the headlines were barely half true?
No Excuses.
Who would have believed that staying home would be difficult for the homeless?
No excuses.
Who knew how out of touch the government would seem?
They weren’t elected to make excuses.
Who knew that Trump was lying?
No excuses, now — or then, even.
Who knew that half of all plastic stuff is never recycled?
Absolutely no excuses.
Who knew that a Free Trade Deal would increase bureaucratic barriers to business?
No excuses, now.
Who knew we needed experts?
Who would have ever dreamed we would run out of excuses?
But don’t worry, dear — we have ordered fresh Premium Excuse supplies, and (member bonus) we also have a very large consignment of ‘Smart Blame Packs v2.0.1’ ready for distribution across the country — limited discount vouchers available for party members, subject to terms and conditions.
Publication of the author’s new book, ‘Action Avoidance in the UK 1980–2020’, has regrettably been delayed — again.
