The Lower Strangling Chronicles
“How does this work again?” The elderly gentleman trying to figure out how to pay for his pint at the Hangman’s Noose said.
“You just hold the crypto wallet over the QR code,” John Granger, the landlord of the Hangman’s Noose, said. “The money should transfer the transaction once you’ve accepted it.”
”Couldn’t I just use cash?” The elderly gentleman said.
”I’m afraid not,” John said. “Crypto only.”
Still confused, the elderly gentleman held his crypto wallet over the QR code. After the transaction went through, he hobbled away to a table with his pint.
John watched him with pity. Usually he would accept cash, but during the Campbell Coin trial period, he was only to accept Noah
Campbell’s new crypto currency.
The village council was at first a little dubious when Dave Peterson proposed the idea of trialing Campbell Coin, but eventually they thought it would be a fun experiment to try out.
During their time within the village boundary, the residents gave visitors a Crypto wallet to use as the exclusive form of payment for purchases for a duration of one month.
People did everything, from buying lavender products in the Lavender shop to making donations to the church, via Campbell coin.
For the most part, the trial was successful, with most people making purchases with ease.
But others, particularly those who were elderly, constantly needed to be reminded how to use their Crypto wallet.
A lot of the visitors wanted their normal currency back, but their physical wallets were being kept locked up in a safe in the vestry, not to be returned until after they’ve left the village.
“I admit it does seem a bit cruel to force vulnerable people to use a service they do not understand,” Simon said to Dave in the church.
“Yeah, but there’s only a few weeks to go before we can revert back to physical currency,” Dave said.
“Indeed,” Simon said, “and I, for one, can hardly wait.”
”You didn’t need to go ahead with the experiment,” Dave said. “I could’ve just told Noah you didn’t want to.”
“No, no,” Simon said. “I wanted to see whether crypto currency would be an adequate alternative to card and cash. Now I see it probably isn’t.”
”It might work if we give it a chance,” Dave said.
”I suppose anything is possible,” Simon said.
He then noticed someone struggling to make a donation using the crypto wallet, so he went over to help them.
Dave observed them for a moment before walking back to his manor.
The weeks flew by, and eventually it was finally time to get rid of the QR scanners and reinstate the card readers and tills.
The village council met in the village hall to reflect on the experiment.
“I admit I’m not sure whether it was a success or a disaster,” Simon said, taking a sip of his water.
“There were a few tears, unfortunately,” John said. “But the people who mastered the Crypto wallet enjoyed using it.”
”A bit disappointing to see the Crypto nerds be condescending to people who were more slow to understand how it works,” Dave said.
“Indeed,” Simon said. “But it’s all in the past now, so it’s best to forgive them and move on.”
After a while, John walked over to the flowchart in front of the council to reveal the total raised during the trial period, one million coins.
There was a slow, half hearted round of applause, no one really sure what that result even meant.
“Is crypto real?” Janet Foster asked. “Or like, just gigabytes and stuff?”
“Don’t know,” John said. “Dave?”
“It’s digital, but it is legal tender,” Dave said.
“The large transaction fees lumped on to every purchase aren’t great either,” Bruce said.
“I’m sure we’ll be able to transfer the money to our bank accounts and pay the transaction fees in time,” Simon said. “But first, any other business?”
The village council turned their attention from the crypto experiment to other important matters the village was facing.
The following Monday, Dave was back at work, on the top of 20 Fenchurch Street in London.
All eyes were on him around the main conference table, especially Noah Campbell himself, Dave’s manager.
“So, Dave,” Noah said. “How did the trial in Lower Strangling go?”
Dave took a gulp of his water.
“Well, for the most part,” Dave said. “Although certain people will probably need to be trained in how to use it if we do become permanently digital nationally.”
“So Campbell coin could work as a national currency then, mate?” Liam said.
Dave paused for a moment.
“Within reason, yeah,” Dave said eventually.
“Excellent,” Noah said. “I shall propose Campbell coin to Downing Street in the morning, but now—“
“I wouldn’t say it was as good as pound Stirling, though,” Dave said.
Noah looked at Dave for a moment. Dave felt a shiver down his spine.
“There would be no need for currency conversion if the whole world used the same digital currency,” Noah said.
Dave finished the dregs of his water.
“I didn’t realise you were planning to make Campbell coin global,” Dave said.
“I’m not,” Noah said. “Not yet, anyway. But if Campbell coin became a success in Britain, the next logical step would be for it to be adopted internationally.”
“You clearly have high aspirations, sir,” Giles Richardson, another employee at Banana, said.
“Why thank you, Giles,” Noah said.
He clapped his hands, bringing his subordinates to attention.
“Now then, does anyone have other queries regarding Campbell coin?” Noah said.
No one responded. Dave drizzled himself with another glass of water.
“In which case, we shall move on with the meeting,” Noah said.
As the meeting continued, Dave looked out at the sun rising over the London skyline, grateful that the crypto ordeal was over.
Well, until Noah heard the verdict from Downing Street, of course.
The Robinsonverse 