Wednesday, April 16, 2008

FREE WINE


I have been doing Jury duty the last week and a half (still not finished). It is very demanding due to the high degree of concentration required so I feel quite tired in the evenings.
Anyway...what I want to say is that when it came to sharing personal details with the other 11 and me telling them that I work in the wine industry, it was almost unanimous (doubt if we will get that lucky when it comes to the deliberations) in requests for free wine. Generally the conversation went along the lines of.." maybe we can have a party and you can bring all the wine being the Wine Guy".
This is not the first time that I've heard this over the years, in fact it has become quite normal. It's kind of like when someone introduces themselves as a doctor and some twat invariably asks about their back complaint or rash.
The thing is though, no-one ever seems to expect free music lessons from a musician, free plumbing work from a plumber or free chicken shit from a fertiliser salesman!

6 comments:

Richard (of RBB) said...

Actually, I've spent my life giving free music lessons.
"Helping people out" or "helping friends' kids out". I know exactly what you mean. I've also leant several bass bows (mine) and a trumpet to well off families and never seen them again. I've also been the "free musician" at many functions ("...and Richard could play some music!"). I've learnt that when you play, or teach for free, often little value is attached to what you do. I guess this is why plumbers are always careful to charge heaps; anyway, who'd want to touch someone else's shit for free?

Anonymous said...

I find it happens when I'm cleaning windows.
"Will you do mine too?"
I say yes if she's pretty or $20 an hour otherwise.

John Locke said...

When people ask what you do just say something like "I'm door to door salesman" or "I work for the Church of Latter Day Saints".

Anonymous said...

Why have you changed from "the wine guy" to "wine guy"?
Richard (of RBB)

THE WINE GUY said...

Since I have given up full-time work I have to cut back on things.
I've decided to give up word 'the'

Anonymous said...

I would have suggested "the wine", if asked.