for the many hard-working and innocent

Post Office operators wrongly accused and

defrauded by their employer. Some were jailed,

and four took their own lives  

 

The best comedy lines are funny

because they resonate with truth.

Funny in a mirthless kind of way.

Some Post Office manager

got a huge bonus for installing

a computer system that didn’t work.

They couldn’t afford to admit

their mistake. Organised helpline

lies, to make innocents pay.

 

Helplines are the opposite of helpful.

Save money for big bosses, keep you

on hold, drive you mad with muzak.  

 

The computer says No. No one

has the balls or knows how

to tell the computer

to fuck off. These tales of

wrongly accused Post Office staff,

sacked, bankrupted, jailed,

make your heart break,

make you want to lynch

those responsible. And we

hope we’ll be able to manage AI.

 

These little people were our glue.

But don’t forget: There is no such

thing as society. Little, honest,

unsuspecting people

are like ants that get under

corporate feet. There is nothing

to hold us together any longer.

Someone, somewhere knows the truth.