What happened to the Milkman?

Muggaz has Questions.

from JoeUser Forums
Who's idea was it to stop the Milkman service?

What has changed in our world today, that the need and want for the milkman is any less than it was 15 years ago, when I last remember any semblance of a milkman service.

People still need milk don't they? Why, just last night, I myself was in requirement of some Milk, and how I dreamed of past glory days where I could wake up in the morning to find bottles of milk at my door! Was it because to many mysterious looking children were popping up in the areas where the better looking milkmen were delivering? or where the promiscuous hussies reside?

What a novel idea to deliver the Milk. I am far too young to remember any intricate details - so I am wondering if it was a council initiative, or a private Milk company PR stunt? At any rate, I have a gripe with whoever disbanded the armies of Milkmen that serviced our Wives, I mean homes... ;)

I wonder if there is any truth behind the 'Milkmans Son?'

For those of you that don't know, there is a bit of a saying - When a child of two people looks different to both parents and siblings, people often quip that it's actually the Milkman's son! I wonder how that saying originated? That kind of activity must have been quite prevalent for people to assume! When we were younger, my brother was referred to as the Milkman's son - he was much taller, had blonde hair, and 20/20 vision... As he got older he began to look a lot more like my father, but the insinuations were always there!

I would also like to know who the half-brained knit-wit was who invented the snooze concept on the alarm clock. The concept of snooze is one invented for my inevitable dismay. How many times can one sub-consciously press the snooze button before they are late for work. If the snooze button wasn't there, I wouldn't freaken use it, and I would set my alarm for when I need to get up, and get up when I need to!

If anyone could point me in the direction of the snooze concept, I would be most appreciative, because I really want to write them a nasty letter.

BAM!!!
misc
8,712 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
There's still a milkman service in England, Muggaz...my mum gets hers delivered and complains about the drunks on their way home pinching pintas off her doorstep. I liked having a milkman; I didn't have to worry about using up all the milk the night before and not having any for my morning coffee. Actually, that's one of the things I'm looking forward to going back to, along with fish and chip and kebab shops.

The milkman's son...that's a common thing in England too. I don't know quite where it came from, but I do recall my neighbor's kid having shocking ginger hair when he was newborn and everyone cracking jokes about him being the milko's kid..who just happened to be ginger as well.

I detest the snooze button also. I hit it waaaay too many times before I roll out of bed and start rushing the kids to get ready for school because we're running late - because I hit the snooze button instead of getting up when the alarm went off. I know people are going to say that I should just not hit it...but those few moments of precious sleep are soooo important, n'est pas?
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
I think you just came up with the reason why there's no milkman...it's the differrently looking sons... :)

As for the snooze button, do what I do, set the alarm half an hour earlier than you need to get up, that way you get to hit the snooze button a few times and still get up on time.
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I depend on the snooze button. I set the alarm for 6:45, and end up hitting it at least 3 times, sometimes 4. Kole's bus arrives at 8:00, so the latter decision is always regretted. I've never had a milkman. Come to my door, I mean.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
That doesn't look right.... you know what I mean.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
I gave up the snooze button for lent. It didnt' work out so well for me. I was late to school numerous times because I did go back to sleep, I just didn't push that damn button. I'm back to my pattern of hitting it, but it's needed cuz I open my eyes just long enough to see if the bathroom's free of my girly sister so I can shower.

As for the milkman, I'm with you. I would have liked to live in those days.

Trinitie
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
Nicky!!! i understand!!!

I dont understand your snooze habits though! Trust me, just set your alarm for when you want to get up, and dicipline yourself to arise as soon as you hear it! You get about 1 hour extra sleep each week! As opposed to Macks plainly insane beleifs on the matter... surely 20 minutes solid sleep is better than a last gasp sporadic 15 minutes of broken sleep?? eh??

BAM!!!
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Bring back the Milkman!

As for snooze, as Mack/N.G.E. says, you have to trick yourself and think you get 15 minutes extra sleeping. When really you just set your alarm 15 minutes earlier.

Also, I believe snooze is good as when you are really sleeping and turn your alarm off in your sleep, the snooze is a second attempt at waking you up.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
Muggaz~the thing I remember most about the milkman here in the U.S.A. is that he left a lot more cool stuff on our doorstep than just milk? You could request a dozen eggs, orange juice, a pound of butter, even cheese. So it's not like you were constantly having to hotfoot it to the grocery store, huh? The milkman was like a grocery store coming to you. I mean, you didn't have to leave home to shop for several days~if need be. After the whole milkman thing disappeared (and I honestly really don't know why?), they had to come up w/things like meals-on-wheels for shut-ins, and the seriously sick, etc. But I'm kinda like you here? Where the heck did all those milkmen go, and why did they stop delivering milk to our doorsteps? I guess it will remain another one of life's unsolved mysteries, huh? .

~MadPoet

P.S. As far as the snooze thing on my clock goes? Mine broke around a year ago, and so not I gotta hop right outta bed as soon as the alarm goes off. And actually I am on time for stuff a lot more often now, so maybe the snooze feature isn't cool for all folks... Jolly good show old chap! I really like these kinds of thoughtful articles you write. A LOT! ( before I forget~there is going to be a "candlelight supper" at the Society on Saturday. And the great SPM just might attend, and dazzle us some more with his touching story about the wise and fair Princess Diana! So anyways, of course YOU are invited, and I hope to see you there, huh? It's just a come-as-you-are thing~so no need to fret over what to wear, etc. So please DO come. Hope to see you there! ) MP
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Oh, so that's why the Lady Di's kids don't look like Prince Charles.
Snoozers are losers. You're right, it is a stupid idea now that I think of it. I could never use it, being a rise and SHINE type person.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Orright.... I'm gonna show my age here, but who cares!

I used to live just down the road from the local dairy, when I lived in Doncaster, Muggaz. It was right on the junction, opposite Westfield Shoppingtown. Corner of Tram road and Doncaster Road.
As kids growing up, we used to sneak out of the house, at about 3am on the weekends and do the rounds with the milko, which was delivered by draught-horse and cart.
The milkman would always put an extra supply of flavoured milk in the cart for us as a reward for helping him deliver it. We also got a few bucks each time. (Y'know.. I think this is where I got my love of milk... I drink it by the gallon!)
Along the way we used to catch up with the guy that delivered cakes to the local milk bars, so we'd get to eat all these wonderful, free, fresh cakes.
....But the fun of it all was being able to ride around on the cart, in the wee small hours of the morning.
To smell the night air, ~ to watch the dark night slowly dawn into a new day,.... to see the fantastic colours of sunrise, the dampness of lightly falling dew on a brisk morning. (Man, I thank you for dredging up these wonderful memories and feelings) The smell of the sweating horse at the finish of the run. To be able to walk through the plush stables they were kept in.

The reasons it (delivery) was stopped were many.....
The price of milk back then was dead cheap, and it was still cost-effective to deliver it and return a profit for the dairy. Over the years, the profit margin grew smaller and smaller.
Dairies started losing more and more money due to milk thieves pinching the milk from houses it was delivered to. The policy was to replace stolen milk. There were also people who used to go around before the milko would arrive at the houses... and steal the money left with the empty milk bottles.
Then there were the sicko's who would go around just wantonly vandalising the milk, or worse still.... prising the caps off and urinating in it, or worse.

The world changes for the worse my friend.... and along the way milko's were forced into redundancy.

I wish the world could return to those trustful, happy times sometimes...... unfortunately it's something we'll never see again.

Hope I answered your questions.

Wreckless
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
Hahaha... so its your theiving fault that i have no Milkman!!! haha... it explains everything though, once a Shoppo Thug, always a Shoppo thug!!! hehehe...

I used to arrive at school early as well and nick all the flavored milk... I guess we only have ourselves to blame!!!

BAM!!!
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
We still have Milkmen in MN, You can order other things (like ice cream) from him too. Or there is Simon Delivers, you order all your grocerys online and they deliver to you.
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
I think the whole concept of alarm clocks is twisted. If there was no such thing no one would be expected to wake up on time. People would be less stressed. They would be happier and nicer. There would be fewer wars. I bet a lot of homicidal maniacs were driven over the edge by that hidious, tinny bleeping depriving them of sleep. I hate alarm clocks. Damn them all to hell.