Something for the weekend sir?

There is a sense that you are doing something wrong when you enter a System Bolaget shop in Sweden. They are small shops with small car parks and the few people who frequent them behave like they don't want to be recognised. Everyone going in and out behaves with a distinct manner of shiftiness. It's as if they have just bought something embarrassing or even illegal! You can imagine passers-by shaking their heads and tut-tutting under their breath. Before I left the store the gentleman behind the counter even offered me, what I assumed was, a plain brown wrapper to disguise my purchase. Although I felt slightly uncomfortable walking out into public, I declined his offer and made the short dash across the car park to my waiting wheels, box of wine clearly in view.

Note: System Bolaget is the only outlet in Sweden allowed to sell alcohol over 3.5%