McDonalds (T)

When I have a whole day to kill, especially a weekday when on holidays, I often find myself thinking that it would all be a bit better and I a bit happier if I just went out and bought something. Normally I'm not particularly sure what I should buy, it's just a feeling, and despite the evidence of a lifetime's experience. Clearly this is the promise of materialism - when the anticapitalists march much of their angst is about materialism, rather than capitalism - the argument used to be who was best at materialism, but after seventy years the communists gave up, though clearly hung onto some of their old banners.

Although I didn't find anything I needed in the bookshop and newsagents, I did take Eddie to lunch at McDonalds. On Anita's advice I asked for something called a 'nappy meal', which as Kathryn said sounds horrendous at every level; however the staff expressed no knowledge of this product so we went for a happy meal with healthy options. I've drifted out of McDonalds over the last decade, and it is nice to return, it's as much fun as you can have in London for £5, like most large-scale retail successes every last cent shaved off costs, and most of the savings make their way to me. Ultra low cost means little room for pretension (which is good), though possibly a little tight on wages (which isn't so good). Thanks to the supersize-me movement they now go on a bit about nutrition and so on, and although you don't often find yourself popping into McDonalds for a salad, if you navigate the menu carefully then you can end up with apples and grapes as well as the burger and excellent little toy (see the video below).

Optimistically I think that's the point, McDonalds + supersize-me = America.