Mars Bars and Mr Shar

      

“Mum can I have a Mars Bar”? 

“NO! You’ll be sick”.

 

I was never allowed a Mars Bars as a kid for that reason alone.  It was never explained to me why that particular chocolate bar would encourage vomiting and  I was allowed Marathons (if I persisted) but definitely not Mars bars.  I was even allowed Treats and Nutty bars. Obviously choking hazards didn’t faze Mother.

I became a bit obsessed with them.  Not in a Marianne Faithful way of course!!! No,  I just used to stare at them, sitting there in all their splendour, in between the boring Galaxy Counters and the safe Milky Ways. 

As a child, the sweets were quite rightly at eye level, so whilst Mum was buying a stamp, or a tin of beef soup for Dad, I’d stand there, ear to Mums hip, staring longingly at the snack that promised to allow me to work, rest and play!

When I was 11 and got a weekend job in Mr Shar’s corner shop, often left alone for a few hours whilst Mr Shar went about his business, I would eat the Mars Bars.  I never got sick either.

Before any of you judge me, Mr Shar paid me about £3.50 for the full weekend.  I had worked for that Mars Bar and now I needed to rest and then play.

Once, I didn’t turn up for work on a Saturday as Mr Shar had muttered in his very strong accent, that my eleven year old self was only required to work the Sunday.  On my arrival on the Sunday, Mr Shah informed me that I had let him down by not coming in for work and he would have to let me go. 

We had an argument, right there by the Look- In’s, and I called him a ‘b*stard’ and pushed a loaf of Mothers Pride off the shelf!

I was a nice polite child really but I had had enough of Shar! 

Only the week before, he decided at the end of my Sunday shift that he would not pay me the full £3.50 in cash, oh no.  he decided it would be better to pay me £1.75 in cash and I could choose £1.75 worth of goods from the shelves!! 

By now I was bored of Mars Bars and hadn’t quite discovered the delights of being drunk on Thunderbirds yet, so I chose a box of Quality Street and some potatoes, both for my Mum.

See? I love that woman.

While we're on the subject of child labour etc  on the 1st April 2011, my friend Linda is going to be attempting a 100km trailwalk in aid of Oxfam.  Yeah, one hundred kms!?!""?**?!

We're sensible people, so I think you'll all agree that it's an obviously ridiculous feat but all in a very, very, good cause.  So, if you've just been paid and have a spare quid, or have just given up smoking and think you'd like to donate the price of a packet of ciggies, or if you are a loaded banker and you have a few thou of us taxpayers cash lining your pockets, then click on this link and donate... http://www2.oxfam.org.au/trailwalker/Melbourne/team/61 

'tis simple and it really will help people and make you feel a bit warm and fluffy inside ;) 

(I bet Mr Shar doesn't donate....the tight bastard)!