REMEMBER WEEKENDS?

For some, the land of the long weekend was always a myth

Antartic scientists, cops, bartenders, airport staff, nurses, farmers ..

power station operators, bus drivers even diligent burglars

they carried on working while the rest of us didn't

Around 4 pm on Fridays, we said "TGIF" and we were gone ...

to our families, the pub, the surf, dancing or the races

many of us to debauch ourselves on Saturday or Sunday

and if we were crook later, we'd chuck a sickie on Monday

Good times. What happened? When did weekends cease to be?

Oh! It's there on your IPhone or blueberry or raspberry or whatever

but once upon a time the country stopped and had a rest

factory stacks ceased belching sulphur dioxide or particulates

buses, trucks and cars took their commuters home to rest, too

shops shut, cities and towns emptied of human activity

we went home, closed the gate and the front door

and took up residence in our backyards or our gardens

or lazed by the pool or enjoyed a barbie with family or mates

we might venture out in the world to visit relos or friends 

have a picnic in the park or the beach or do nothing and read papers

"Time Off" as we called it before it became "Leisure Time"

it didn't require us to spend money to entertain or distract ourselves

market forces unleashed in 1983 (ironically by a Labor Government)

decreed that these two "do-nothing days" was extravagant ...

it dragged down productivity and wasted our precious time

so time had to be allocated, specifically measured

after all, everyone needs leisure time or they get burned out

but like the classic thing edge of the wedge ... why stop there?

why the arbitrary predetermined couple of days of loafing?

"flexibility" was the new wankword and it was on for young and old

technologies busted old rigidities, time and space collapsed

we could no longer afford to take time off ... for everything changed

and industrial relations became as casual as sexual relations

The more we increased out productivity (longer hours at work)

the less time for buying the basics like food for sustenance ...

so we added shop assistants to the list of "must work anytime" people

shopping mania (therapy mingled with unlimited shopping)

not satisfied with Saturday, we wanted and got Sunday but ..

where would we eat and entertain ourselves while we were shopping ?

Soon dead hearts of cities teemed with life seven days a week

we liked it so much that when the sharp developers came to town

we went back to town ... to live in fancy "inner-city apartments"

back to the concrete and steel boxes for we loved ...

the idea of never stopping, never sleeping, never having to wait ...

for a single bloody thing

Are we poorer for it" Nah, not materially of course

we are wealthier than we've ever been or so we're told

do you miss the weekend? Even if you remember it?

that still, quiet long suspended moment that stretched away 

from Saturday to Monday morning .... when the alarm went off

and we would throw ourselves back into the fray once more

refreshed and rejuvenated