This is a very short story in Takahē magazine and I wish there was more of it. Here’s how it starts:
You want to order from a local restaurant, but you need to download a third-party delivery app, even though you plan to pick it up yourself. The prices and menu on the app are different to what you saw in the window. When you download a second app the prices are different again. You ring the restaurant directly and it says the number is no longer in service. You go to the restaurant and order in person. You mention that their website has the wrong number and the woman behind the counter says they have to contact the company who designed the site for changes, which will cost them, but most people just order through an app anyway.
Go read the rest, you’ll be glad you did.
Here’s a short interview with the author. Choice quote:
Once I realised it was taking the form of a free-flowing list, it came down to trying to get the right rhythm—setting up repetition then breaking it, turning the screws until I can’t stand it anymore.
Excellent stuff, and Takahe Magazine looks like something I should be reading.