Exotic veg

Aubergines are apparently ‘exotic veg’ according to the self checkout machine at Sainsbury’s. I felt very culinarily adventurous all of a sudden, although I was only buying them as Gugs had given me a list. I couldn’t buy staples such as flour or tinned tomatoes but I could have bought many tins of banana blossom in water.

We’ve spent most of the day with every news channel repeatedly telling us that ‘Boris Johnson has not received any invasive respiratory support’ and that ‘the Queen has been briefed on his condition’. Why does the media beat around the bush and state the flamin’ obvious? Quite patently she will know what’s happening with the Prime Minister and no doubt she will be hoping that the tenth sycophant of the day carrying the same message will just sod off so she can listen to The Archers in peace.

Why not use all of these TV slots to have a medical expert explain to us something useful about the aspects of coronavirus, which would help all of our ignorance? Why not just say ‘Boris has had oxygen but isn’t on a ventilator at the moment, but because he’s not in good nick don’t be surprised if it happens’? We don’t need to sugarcoat Boris Johnson’s condition if it’s serious, especially as coronavirus is supposed to be a great leveller, infecting peasants and princes alike.

If dull coverage is because TV station workers have been furloughed, then it’s fair enough. If it’s because this is supposed to be riveting news on the twentieth time of hearing it, it’s not.

Come on Boris, pull through sweetheart. The last thing we need is the upheaval of losing our national leader in the midst of the crisis.