Over on "Don't Get Too Close To The Furnace," XP describes amusingly a meeting of local FDs, and their arguments. Well, OK, they are business rivals after all - so long as their squabbles don't impact on the service they provide for clients. I think I've mentioned before the pettish FD in one small town round 'ere who won't use me at all now, because he found out I also work for his competitor. Mr Grumpy used to use me a fair bit. I hope he's got a good provider of non-religious ceremonies.
It's not that I mind at all, business-wise - I'm actually busier than I want to be at present. I just hope my replacement is better than me. S/he may well be a retired minister - risking his/her soul, far as I can see. Charles will be pleased to know that Mr Grumpy belongs to a certain national chain of FDs that he so dearly loves (not that you'd know it from the shopfront, which of course merely says "Mr Grumpy and Son." ) His rival is an independent, does a better job, is a nicer man, more empathy for families, and seems to be thriving. Sometimes the sun does shine on the righteous, it seems.
So it goes. Must be difficult managing business rivalries in such a sensitive public service. Thanks goodness we celebs are above such sordid matters......h'm. More on that later.
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More indeed! Minibrants are riven by squabbles and backbitery, humanists vs civils vs members of the oxymoronical Assoc of Independents. Deplorable. They have fallen to the level of the undertakers when they ought to be showing the way.
ReplyDeleteWhy, I wonder? Oversupply? Too many undertakers, too many minibrants? Human nature? Possibly it has something to do with undertakerly underhandedness on the one hand (all those bungs to granny farms) and minibrantish sycophancy on the other (all that sucking up to undertakers). First untune that string...
Undertakers in particular like to parade themselves as model pillars of the community, imbued with values and ethicalness and deep, deep concern for humanity. If only people knew.
If only, when they got together, they would swap best practices, not snidey, snarky asides.
Cannaworms, innit?