You can stick your sandwich, sunshine ....

Yeah. Evidently we are now officially in a state of recession. Although I sincerely doubt it. Here's why.

If you grew up in the same era as I did, you will remember a TV show called "The Waltons" about a family during the American recession. The phrase "Goodnight, Johnboy..." may remind you. That's my picture of a recession, at least as it affects normal people.

Well I just don't see that kind of street level reality here.

Some days I go to to the Gardens Shopping centre for lunch, especially when I feel like a piece of Pick and Pay's famous grease chicken and a Porra roll.

Now, what gets me is the rest of this lovely little centre, that seems to exist in a time - space continuum completely isolated from the rest of the universe.

For instance, there is this deli spot that sells ready-made rolls etc with a bit of cheese and cold meat on it. I do not remember the exact price, but it was befukt. Seriously. Then going further on my little tour, I end up at the Woolies Foodstore. R29 for a sandwich. Am I a lone island of " voetsek, jou skelm" in a sea of mini millionaires? It's a sandwich. Two slices of bread with some shit inbetween.

Sorry, did I miss the freshly shaved Truffle and liberal coating of real Saffron?

The most interesting thing is that I have seen quite a few places picking up on this trend. The place called Bread, Milk and Honey on Darling that sells a (quite) regular (and unspectacular) cup of take away coffee for R15 and a roll for anything between R20 and R30.

And the franchised "Fresh Stop" next door (a Fruit and Veg City mindfart) who sells, also, some very bland-tasting sandwiches (guys, I know salt is bad for you, but really,) for anything between R19 to R29. Again! Say after me, slowly now, "It's just a sandwich."

Now I know these people are all business to make money. But have they lost a fundamental idea of right and wrong? Of value in kind versus ripping people off?

I have baked bread, having worked in a bakery as a young man. I know what bread and every ingredient you put on that sandwich costs, and then I'm not even buying bulk. Can you say 400% profit? And it is not as though you are giving me a whole lot of service and ambience either. I expect to pay higher prices if I go to a larnie restaurant like Beluga. Or any place with a Pirelli Chef. Well enough. But paying those prices at a franchise?

But even worse are the rank idiots willing to pay these prices. I hope you recession-choke. And ask the guy behind the counter if he kisses his mother with that mouth.