I don't know if this is a song or a poem it came to me as I read the other posts. If anyone feels brave enough to put it to music or add some words feel free.

One guy sits in an empty cafe.
Solitude as the jukebox plays.
Cars drive by outside the glass.
Their lights are blinding as they pass.
It's quiet now for just a while.
Be polite, goodmorning, smile.
A prelude till the rush hour starts.
His job to cater for the daily mass.
Bacon, eggs, sausage, mash.
Another meal with a smile despatch.
Wowser, trousers, skirts, no sleeves.
Suits drink coffee, jeans drink tea.
All cards no cash.
And when they leave he feels so free.
Jukebox plays Bohemian Rapsody.
When the rush hour ends, strangers, friends.
He's all alone once again.     

Nice one Scott, full of angst as I'd expect. I've always thought during a conversation or argument, the loser is the one that raises their voice first. Ergo, it's not the one that shouts the loudest, it's the one that think for themselves that ultimately wins. Great thought provoking poem.     

I think you are right Jim as kids these days rate themselves by how many "likes" they get rather than how many actual friends.     

Compressed air...that's original, never thought of that. I think it's SSD. At the moment I have no worries about it getting too hot, the temp is under 10°C and with our energy crisis we can't afford to put the heating on for long. Thanks for that.     

A short update: I bought a Dell from amazon and I'm just blown away with the speed! I am left scratching my head at times with the change of operating system.  Thanks for all the advice and help you guys. Any further tips will be gratefully received.    Phill     

Great job Jim     

Thanks to Doug and Richard. I already have a laptop but find they have a tendancy to let me down at the worst possible time, I used to use it for stage work! I think I've decided on a tower PC as I want a dvd drive. Amazon have pages of reconditioned PCs at attractive prices and win11 installed so I may go that way. Any further advice will be welcome like how to get my stuff from old to new PC?
Richard my son lives in a Perth suburb...he says it's really hot at the moment. He's tone deaf so he doesn't follow me...lol     

thanks Jim. As I recall from watching TV with my kids "wowsers" was inspector Gadget's catch phrase. I thought it was an American thing not knowing it was an Antipodean thing!
Sorry to hear about your niece, hope she takes heart from your song and advice. I sort of guessed what you meant by door I just wanted to be sure...cowboy chords?

I'd love to meet up face to face one day. We had snow last week, it was measured in millimetres and disappeared before lunch.     

Amen father Ted. Only one house? Apart from next door there are at least 4 houses in a street of around 50 houses that are actually dealing and Several more that are using! I got a knock late one night from a dubious looking character who asked if I was selling " tram?" I thought he was talking about model trains, I can't help being naive!  In the next street where there is an on-going drug den there was a house being used as a cannabis farm. The cops couldn't ignore it as the stink was unbearable. I know in some countries cannabis is legal and I have no problem with its medical use, but it has been scientifically proven to cause serious mental problems and a stepping stone for harder drugs. I've seen too many lives wasted through addiction.

And so we end this transmission from the church of selfritiousness

Amen     

Yo! Jimbo, lovely heartfelt words. Have to say you know how to put a song together. I dare say a recording won't be far behind?     

Nice one Graham brought an 18th century folk song up to date, loved the clapping reference and the dole whi h wasn't available back then. Sounds great with the mandolin.