ttj - Tom Jones

Trying to have an optimistic take at the start of the pandemic, a friend remarked to me that at least people from now on may have some basic decency around coughing, sneezing, blowing their nose, having a cold, and so on.  No such fucking luck. Despite covid-papers-please Austria getting obsessed with papers-papers, and people threatening to call the police on non-mask-wearers well after Omicron exceeded 99% of new cases, sneezing out into the open on trains appears to be socially acceptable.  Guy a few seats away just spent a minute mega-sneezing out into the air.  During his performance, his hand moved around in proximity to his face, in a symbolic gesture that showed he felt like he should pretend to try and cover his face.  His being was in spasm.  Once he was done, he kindly got an FFP2 mask and put it on his face.  The only other person visibly disgusted by his behaviour was a Slav on the seats in front (update: later turned out to be a posh Ukrainian...

The world has got much, much worse in the last 3 years. Until a few years ago, the way a restaurant bill went was as follows: you ask for the bill.  They bring it, and it's itemised.  It's on a slip of paper, maybe handwritten, maybe printed.  You check the items, if you like.  You check the addition, if you like.  You raise any mistakes.  You see if they added service, and add a tip, if you like.  You then pay by cash, or by card if mutually agreeable. Now, the way it works is as follows: you ask for the bill.  Someone fiddles around on some kind of electronic device for a very long time, right in front of you, so you kind of feel obliged to give them your attention.  Eventually, they presume to announce a total at you.  You ask for an itemised bill.  They initially pretend not to know what you mean, so you have to explain what an itemised bill is.  You say it can be on the screen or on paper.  At this point, they may fla...