Airportable

My local “Nut, Screws, Washers & Bolts” suppler was taken over by a conglomerate, they calculate shelf space costs into the end product price. If the product sells poorly it may be discontinued or the price rises to pay for its shelf space, folk won’t pay over the odds & so the product is discontinued; a self full fill prophecy.
This happened with my friend John & he retired having built the company from military surplus parts.
I went to get some M10 x 1.25pitch high tensile countersink screws & was met with a blank stare.
“Never stocked them” said the youth behind the now barricaded counter & in shocking English.
I showed him one which came from them & he shrugged.
All the original staff had long gone.
“Anyway they come in boxes of 100.
I now buy off eBay, put up with the wait & having to pay carriage disguised in the price.
Nut, screws, washers & bolts isn’t a newspaper report of an crazed assailant running off after a rape in a laundrette.
M