The Saturday List #516 - Ten things about the modern world that my Dad would love if he was still alive

Do you ever have a dream that takes you to an alternative reality and fundamentally disturbs you and shakes you up. I had one such last night. I must add that I wasn't smoking weed, eating cheese or anything else. I had a dream that I went to a very strange gothic palace, and I entered a strange lounge. To my surprise, my Dad was sitting there. He looked great. Now he died in 1987 and if he was still alive, he'd be 109. I often think about him and feel him at my side, watching my back, but not in a physical tangible way. This was different. But I was aware he was dead. So I said to himm "Dad, what are you doing here?". He laughed and said "Roger, you are a good Catholic, you should know that November is the month of the dead and its the month where if you want to see someone, you can meet them in the half way lounge, if you have something you want to discuss with them". This suddenly made perfect sense, as things often do in dreams. However, I didn't really have anything I wanted to say to Dad, beyond the deep sense of joy at seeing him again and hearing his broad Aussie accent. He then said "Well what was it you wanted to ask me, we've not got all day?". So I said "Well Dad, things have changed since you were here. Do you think you'd like to live in Mill Hill in the year 2026?". He looked at me with incredulity, as if to say "Are you mad?". He then said "Now make a note of this, here's a list for your blog". I was quite surprised that he knew what a blog was.

Here is his list.

1. You can watch anything you like on TV. There are more channels than any of us can imagine and whatever your interest, you can find a pretty damn good show about it. 

2. You can talk to your rellies in Australia or wherever else for free. Dad left Australia to fly for the RAF in 1942. He didn't speak to his sister until around 1969, when she booked an expensive two minute phone call. No you can chat all day on whatsapp for free and have a video call etc.

3. You can get directions to anywhere you like on your phone, no maps, no hassle. 

4. Cars don't break down unless you don't look after them properly, they are stuffed full of gadgets, are comfy and relatively cheap.

5. You can get a flight anywhere in the world relatively cheaply. Dad didn't visit Australia until 1976, despite being relatively wealthy, as it was so expensive.

6.  Food is so much better than it used to be, you can get any sort of food delivered to your house at almost any time of the day. If a mate turns up out of the blue, you can say "Do you fancy curry, Chinese , pizza, Korean, fish and chips or Sushi" and it will be at your door in half an hour and it will be inexpensive.

7. If you want to find out about something, you can just do a query on your phone and you get all the info you need.

8. You can go anywhere in the world and pay for almost anything with a bit of plastic.

9.  If you want to hear a bit of music, you ask your phone and it will play it.

10. If you get prostate cancer, they don't chop your knackers off (one of my uncles was unfortunate enough to suffer this and I must say I am glad that modern medicine has better solutions).

Now of course, it really is hard to know what, if anything, such dreams mean. I might have doubted that it really was a message from Dad until he gave me no 10 on the list. That was totally his sense of humour and it was just like him to build up with a rather dull and worthy list, to drop a punchline like that. Dad was 69 when he passed away. It is strange for me to think that in five years, if I haven't already joined him, I'll be that age. Time is a funny thing. 

After he delivered the list, he got up to go. I said anything else he had to say. He replied "Yeah, have as much fun as you can and make sure the people you love know you love them".

I do my best