Before
you start thinking that I'm a conceited, arrogant, halfwit (which I
am) for making such a claim, please let me explain the above title.
I have,
for a long time, wondered just what the criteria are for being able to
make certain claims. I know trading standards and other bodies are
there to ensure that things such a pork sausages have at least been
in the same room as a pig at some point in their manufacture. But
what about other claims?
Many
years ago, Morrisons, the supermarket chain, advertised their breakfasts
as 'World Famous'. I have put this claim to the test on many
occasions, much to the annoyance of my wife. While on holiday in
foreign climes I like to mix with locals rather than do the tourist
hot spots. While chatting about life in their countries, food, music,
literature, and the like, I always drop in the question, “Have you ever had a big
breakfast from Morrisons?” I have to say that, over the past ten
years of doing this, no person outside Britain knows what I'm talking
about. I usually get a blank look, followed by the look that says, 'Oh
my God, he has mental health issues!” My wife has usually walked
away by that point, shaking her head and calling me names that are best left
between her and myself.
This
year, while travelling around southern Spain, we got chatting to a
lovely French couple. The man's name was Julian, which didn't sound very
French to me. He was a chef, and had been for thirty years, so I
thought he might be a good person to ask the question of. After
telling him that I didn't like eating pig's trotter, something that
was forced upon me as a child while visiting grandparents in Ireland,
he proceeded to tell me the best way to cook them. I responded with,
“Have you ever cooked or eaten a Morrisons world famous big
breakfast?” He was intrigued, but it's safe to say that he was probably more
confused by my wife calling me a 'Twat'. I have since checked, and
Morrisons has dropped the 'World Famous' tag, so I shall stop my
investigations.
This
week, a young man told me that he loves cooking, and that no one could
resist his 'world famous Pinkertons chocolate sundaes'. Pinkerton, by
the way, is his surname. The pedant in me had an urge to go on the
internet to check out his world famous boast but instead, I asked him
to prove that it's world famous. It turns out close family and a
couple of friends constitute his world.
I know
what you're thinking right now, my wife's assessment of me is one
hundred percent accurate.
But these descriptions of things for some reason annoy me, which is
unusual because, as an author, I've claimed all sorts of bullshit
myself! So can you imagine my surprise when this week I decided to
find out just what I have to do to make such a claim as being 'World
Famous' .
I had
an afternoon free, which was a surprise, as I've been working non-stop
for ages now. I have written before about how dangerous me and
idleness are. I couldn't think of a way to prove these claims, so I
decided to phone trading standards, as they should surely know. I have
to say that I was passed to lots of different departments as I don't
think my request was being taken seriously, until I was transferred to
a man who I seem to have caught off guard. The man whom I spoke to
humoured me at first thinking that my medication had worn off but I
told him a little lie. (Just a lie, really). Well, I told him two lies, actually.
I told him I worked for a publishing company and gave him the name of
the company (sorry Steve). Then I told him that we had an author who
had had a lot of success (that's not the lie bit by the way) I then
told him that this author was about to embark on a tour of Europe
(there you go!) and could we claim he was 'world famous' when he (me)
came home?
I need
to have sold books on at least three continents to be able to claim
that I'm 'world famous' according to this man, who, by the end of the
conversation, seemed to be losing the will to live. I have proof that
my books are sold in Europe, America and both Australia and New
Zealand. This means, ladies and gentlemen, and those in-between, that I,
Gez Walsh, am legally WORLD FAMOUS!
Signed,
The
World Famous Gez Walsh