Omen

I couldn't get my new Tetrapak carton of milk open this morning. It took me nearly a minute, and I've ended up with a messily torn opening which is going to dribble milk everywhere.

I do succumb to superstition about this sort of thing occasionally. I hope this isn't a sign that I'm going to have a bad day.

I was a little surprised by this accident, actually. Tetrapak cartons used to be really crappy in this country. You pretty much expected that they would never open properly. But things have got a lot better in the last three years - one of the most palpable signs of progress here! These days, I am taken aback by a faulty carton.

And perhaps this milk carton wasn't even 'faulty'. Looking at it subsequently with a little more attention, a little more awake, I notice that it is only designed to open on one side, and that there is an arrow directing me to the side I didn't open. Oh dear!

However, I say in my defence that I think I have fallen into an unconscious habit of always opening these milk cartons on a particular side according to the other labelling on them, not the discreet little 'open this side' arrow. And this morning's carton was printed 'backwards' - the 'open this side' was the opposite side from what I am used to. What a dirty little trick!

I do hope this isn't going to be a bad day.