033 :: Shopping

Naomi and Peter walked down the high street. Across the lights. Back forty metres. M&S. A square glass shop with dark green frames. Cooking lessons playing on the windows. Above the shop was a tower of offices. Some residential. Ten stories. Naomi looked up at them. They approached the door. It did not open for them. Naomi stopped. Peter carried on past the closed door to a sign. Collections. A set of screens next to the door. Order here. Peter tapped his Skroll on the screen. His list appeared. Peter tapped confirm. He tapped ASAP. Your order will be ready in 95 minutes. Peter tapped confirm.

Want to go to the park. (Peter)

Naomi shrugged. She nodded.

Peter took her hand. He led her back up the road. To the corner. He pulled her right, back towards the house. Naomi stopped. She pointed straight forward. Towards the bridge.

Garden. Yes. (Naomi)

Peter looked confused. Shook his head. Naomi took out her Skroll. She tapped.

Can we see river please. (Naomi)

They walked up the road. Onto the bridge. The cars slipped by them. Well behaved. Everything in London is well behaved. Below them was the Thames. Flowing out with the tide. Flowing passed the shops. Passed the apartment block shaped like a ship. Curved like an ocean liner. Past the row of houses. Past their house.

Our house is beyond the railings. There. (Peter)

Naomi took out her Skroll

Can we sit river. (Naomi)

Yes. A little up the river are benches. (Peter)

Naomi turned to look at the traffic. The big cars plodded along. The smaller pods weaved in and out of the pod lane. The people in the pods concentrated on their screens. Their Skrolls. One bored podder stared at Naomi. Naomi waved. The podder ignored her. The pod shot into a gap in the traffic. It was gone. Peter pulled her hand towards the crossing.

You have to cross at the crossing. The pods have right of way. (Peter)

They waited for the lights to change. A woman cycled past them on the pavement. She smiled at them. She wore cycling shorts. A tight cycling shirt. Pockets at the back. No bag. No panniers. Leisure exercise cycling not commuting. She cycled over the bridge.

Where the bicycles. (Naomi)

Cycling is too scary. People think it is too dangerous. Most pods have an exercise option. (Peter)

Naomi stared at the pods. They were sleek. Streamline. Mostly bright colours. They had three wheels. Two at the front. One passenger. No controls. The pods drove themselves. The podders leaned back. Small screen in front of them. Most podders had their Skrolls open. A bigger screen. The pods changed shape as they drove like old cartoon cars. They squatted. They pounced. They leant. They sped through small gaps. Faster than anyone could drive. Safer too. Safer in a pod. Safer being a podder than a cyclist. Or a pedestrian.

The lights changed. Peter grabbed Naomi’s hand.

Quickly. (Peter)

They rushed across the street. Both sides in one go. An old man crossed the other way. He stopped in the centre island. Nami looked back at him. He was fat. His shirt was faded. His trousers were stained. His shoes were scuffed. He was ugly. He looked poor. They walked down the riverbank. They were still holding hands. Their hands swung between them like a summer holiday photo. They did not walk far. They found a bench. Sat down to watch the river. Naomi opened her Skroll.

Where poor people. (Naomi)

What a question. It is hard to see the poor people. But there are poor people. The rich need poor people. In London they keep the poor people in service cities. Their nuevo-ghettos. They let the poor people come in to do their job then ship them back out. Preferably when the rich are asleep. But poor people are stubborn. Sometimes they do not do what they are supposed to do. Like that old man. He will be picked up soon. (Peter)