Animal Crackers – Daniel 27

 

[For back story go here: Story so far and especially this one.]

[Relevant back story links also within text.]

The walk to Daisy's school was not far and together Daniel and Daisy had it covered in five minutes. They noted their usual landmarks – the just opened newsagents, the queue past the small local national neighbourhood chain supermarket and the persevering high-end vegetable shop. Sometimes the trip included following a set pattern of banter, discussion of the fruit and strangely shaped vegetables on the stand outside the veg shop, speculation of who was reading what from the newsagent and sometimes they had a race – small scale or door to door. Loser carried the bag at home time.

Skipping as she went, Daisy impressed Daniel by how she could still be light of heart and generally happy despite everything. Having queued at the right distance marked out by spots on the pavement and pathway outside the school, she was met by a visor-clad teaching assistant and shepherded safely inside.

Daniel felt himself relax as he headed home, preparing for the working day ahead – more phone calls around the organisation, more ideas for innovation, further chances for the company to do more better. Just as Daniel was framing his initial contacts he was aware of someone calling him back,

"Are you Daisy's dad?" the woman asked.

Daniel stopped and turned round. He thought it was really fairly obvious who he was given that he'd just dropped the girl at school. He was an unlikely elder brother.

"Yeah," he smiled. "How are you?"

"I'm Susan, Alexis’ mum. Do you have a mask as I’d like to talk to you?"

Daniel smiled and produced a face covering that made his smile a skeleton smile. His choice of mask was slightly embarrassing and Susan hesitated, apparently reconsidering whether she wanted to continue the conversation. Nevertheless, she was committed now, and in fact she was committed when she dropped Alexis off and saw Daniel.

"Your daughter has been pinching Alexis," she said.

"Pinching Alex’s what?” asked Daniel.

“She’s called Alexis. Lexy for short,” said Susan. “And your daughter has been pinching her arms mainly, but legs as well. She has bruises, you know? I believe the teachers are trying hard to do something about it but given Lexy’s been in tears I thought it only right that you…”

"Oh," said Daniel. "I'd not been told about that."

“You've been told about other things then?"

Even with the skeleton smile Daniel looked annoyed that he’d given something away.

"She's just getting used to the new school," offered Daniel. "She's a bit... unsettled."

"That may be true but no child should injure another – they're not animals."

Daniel paused. In some ways he kind of thought they were, but affectionately so. Characterised by inquisitiveness, responding on a gut level rather than thinking about things. The idea suddenly caught him and he was lost in it for a while, and then he realised Susan was waiting for a proper answer. “I think injure is going a bit far…” he said.

“She has bruises,” emphasised Susan.

As with Mrs Chistlehurst Daniel was fairly certain he had no other option than to stand there and take on board the situation, take responsibility and promise some action. This he did, without promising anything in particular but cushioning it with a 'kids will be kids' comment which he saw annoyed Susan a little. This was, if he was honest, precisely what we wanted it to do.

As he carried on the stroll back home, a little less carefree now but still smiling the skeleton smile, he thought about the animals idea again and realised this might be an innovation for Crown Apps. Animal feedback.

Why look for complicated ideas and responses to your service when all you needed to know was how people were feeling? No deep thought, no analysis, just straight from the gut. Sidestep all the tick boxes, the detailed descriptions and the rest of it and cut to the chase. Let them express themselves in the easiest way possible. Let them choose which animal they felt like.

A lion – majestic and clever and strong and very pleased with everything the app does. A hyena – deliriously happy, maybe, or perhaps laughing hard because the technology is ridiculous and doesn’t work. A unicorn – Crown Apps elevates you to levels of mythical performance.

He felt like thanking Susan for her input at home time, but knew she was unlikely to understand what he meant and wouldn’t really thank him for it either. She would, perhaps, be flattered that their conversation had thrown up such a great idea, but really she was caught up with more pressing activities, and, thought Daniel, while she’d have one eye on him, her main focus would be elsewhere.

Like a chicken, maybe.