RECENTLY I’ve been housebound with severe back problems and obliged to shop for groceries online, something that I had previously been reluctant to do. Like many shoppers I prefer to handle about 30 cabbages before I drop one in my trolley. After about half a day trying to register with various supermarkets I was able to persuade ASDA that I am human and would probably live long enough to take delivery of my groceries. Choosing my goods was fairly pain free and I waited somewhat nervously for delivery in my allocated time slot.

As it happens my delivery didn’t arrive and I rang enquiries whereupon a pleasant young lady, who I took to be Indian, assured me that the driver was in my area. Mischievously I asked her how things were in India and she replied: “Oh I’m not in India, I’m in the Philippines, in Manila.” As I rang off the driver pulled up at my front door.

Communication has certainly come a long way from the lamplighter “six o’clock and all’s well” to the town crier, “Oh yeah, oh yeah”. We can now find the location of our shopping in Bishop Auckland by ringing the Philippines.

It must make sense to someone.

V J Connor, Bishop Auckland