Deflation 2001

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Having to pay ten dollars for a cup of coffee shook Lester Perry.

The price had been stabilised at eight dollars for almost a month, and he had begun to entertain an irrational hope that it would stay there. He stared sadly at the vending machine as the dark liquid gurgled into a plastic cup. His expression of gloom became more pronounced when he raised the cup to his lips.

“Ten dollars,” he said. “And when you get it, it’s cold!”

His pilot, Boyd Dunhill, shrugged and then examined the gold braid of his uniform in case he had marred its splendour with the unaccustomed movement of his shoulders. “What do you expect?” he replied indifferently. “The airport authorities refused the Coffee Machine Maintenance Workers’ pay claim last week, so the union told its members to work to rule and that has forced up the costs.”

“But they got a hundred per cent four weeks ago! That’s when coffee went up to eight dollars.”

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