All is calm, all is bright in London again (for the moment) and there is a definite increase of PC Plods on the streets, outside shops, in the parks, in fact everywhere, round here. Massively reassuring to some and intimidating to others. The temporary breakdown of law and order definitely had the feel of Lord of the Flies about it. I am relieved peace has returned once more for Kay's sake, as she is working at a very iconic tourist site in the heart of the city, earning a bit of extra cash to support her student loan. Even though she is twenty now, I shall never lose the ability to worry about her and pray she is safe. Which make it all the more amazing to hear how some parents just don't know (or care) what their kids are up to, or even where they are, at any given time and whether they are setting fire to someone's home or running someone over with a car.
11 comments:
VERY iconic...hmmm is this going to be another of those lengthy clue titivators until we all go "ohhhhh of course"?!
In all seriousness, I am very happy it has quietened down but it does have an air of a lid being replaced on the pressure cooker not actually the gas being turned off.
Time will tell.
Hopefully all Kay has to worry about is stupid tourists* In Loughton we had a large police horse box in the Sainsbury car park on Saturday night and loads of riot-gear wearing PCs up and down the high street..so nothing unusual there then
*all tourists are stupid, even me when I am one
good that it has calmed down for the time being... now we can just watch the MPs and police fighting each other in the various press briefings on who actually reclaimed order on the streets... one observation on that - I didn't see MPs on the streets in riot gear for a start ;-)
Wish I could figure out where Kay is working as I'd go along and act like a really dumb tourist... :-)
Hi Addy,
Yeah very like Lord of the Flies. Scary stuff. And as you said its not good that so many parents don't seem to care what their kids are up to. As much as it will all calm down I think its a kind of unsettling calm and won't be long before it blows again. There are a lot of people, I feel, who are just intent on violence and distruction.
All the best
Nechtan
I just wrote a long vitriolic comment. Then deleted it. All of it has been said, everywhere, in the media, TV, Radio. My thoughts on it all are probably as muddled as all of that.
What do I know afterall living in a sleepy village. The nearest thing to rioting round here is the cows getting out. Or a heated parish council meeting debating the cost of speed restriction neon signs....
I have relatives in London and up North. They understand that pressure cooker feeling. Although say that even those that took part in the rioting appear to have shocked themselves. Individuals who have no respect for themselves, let alone anyone else.En masse the collective loss of control so so sad.
I hope there is no more unnecessary futile deaths, loss of homes, livliehoods, etc..
I do know I have respect for the father whose son was murdered. Urging that there be peace, his words were wiser I think than the rubbish that has been pouring out of politicians mouths this week.
My heart just goes out to anyone who has been affected.
I hope with all I have that this is not a rumbling appendix of riots. Because if it bursts who knows what will ensue.
My daughter has to go to London next week for a hospital appointment, so I too will be concerned as you are for Kay.
All one can do is hope that as time passes the tension will ease off.
We can all still hope.
xoxoxoxo
It was dreadful for us in the "West Country" to witness the riots on the news, it must have been terrifying to have been so close to it all. Awful too to acknowledge that some of the rioters were just children, who should not have been out roaming the streets at all.
I read a piece at the weekend about three young black men. They are on their own, uneducated to the point of being illiterate but intelligent enough to realise the plight they are in regarding lack of opportunities, unable to see any path for a decent future ahead. Scared of gangs, unable to go outside of their own postcode, unable to find work, they want 'normal' but know that they don't have a hope in hell of achieving it. Their parents just did not care enough to provide/stay clean/sober - take your choice.
The article had me in tears, because I was orphaned. I was barely 5 when my mother died, and my father died seven years later. I was lucky (if you can believe that I feel such a thing) because I had an older brother and sister who, although still young themselves, kept our home together. My sister is only five years older than me, and my brother eight years older, and they were actually only 16 and 19 when my father died. We've all done well.
So many kids these days just seem lost. Rudderless, and at the mercy of gang leaders.
I see these pieces and really do think "There, but for the grace of God, go I."
I so agree with Kelloggsville - what next?
Pleased all has calmed down - I tend to agree with Kelloggsville too - the gas hasn't been turned off.
Anna :o]
It's just been a dreadful time. Very frightening for residents and I only hope we've seen the last of it all. I struggle to see a reason why it kicked off so badly. Poverty clearly doesn't mean a thing to these thugs with designer trainers, designer hoodies, expensive mobile phones etc.
I should tell you that I've mentioned you in my blog post today.
CJ xx
I'm not surprised you were worried, scary! We had no trouble in our neck of the woods thank goodness.
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