In Mainz’s wine bars, there’s a generation change at about 6:30pm when the geriatrics toddle off to clamber onto the last bus that’ll get them back home before curfew and their places are taken by the youngsters.

Well, baby-boomers, anyway.

Here in Nelson, it’s even more noticeable.

At 4pm, anyone who’s of voting age vacates their place at the supermarket checkout and is replaced by a school kid.

Which means that if you want to buy beer or wine, they have to ring the bell to get a supervisor.

They must have run out of school kids at Pak’n’Save in Richmond yesterday, because the checkout operator almost qualified for a free bus pass.

“Ah” I said in a weak attempt at humour “I’ve got some wine, so I guess you’ll have to call your supervisor”

And she did.

Must have been a mature student……