In praise of the corner shop

I've been coming here for almost twenty years. My first visit was the day we brought the children to see the house in Oxford they would be leaving their London friends for, and I bought crisps for a picnic in the garden. I've bought gallons and gallons and gallons of milk here and most of the newspapers I've read over two decades. The proprietor, Raj, used to sell fantastic locally baked bread until the baker had distribution problems. This shop has supplied the ingredients I've realised were missing after I've started cooking, biscuits for unexpected visitors, exactly the right colour bananas and emergency wine. Until the government decided we didn't need useful local post offices it was also the place for stamps, cash and meeting neighbours in the pension queue. You can still buy maps, string and birthday cards. The chats with Raj are free.

How much longer, I wonder. A predatory Tesco with later opening hours has appeared up the road and they are threatening another one down the road.

Back-blip yesterday.