Walk One Hundred and Ten – The not so idyllic village
This may not look much of a walk, but in fact it’s two walks overlapping each other. The first time I set off across Spencer Playing Field at about five, I came across about eight children – one of whom looked as young as twelve – who were openly drinking alcohol and smoking in the corner of the field. As I walked past they made abusive noises at me. They had absolutely no concern that an adult saw them. I returned home by a parallel road and rang the police who said they would send someone out as soon as possible. I then had to pick up some of the family from the station so was only able to resume the walk about half an hour later. This time the children were staggering down the High Street being intimidating and abusive to residents and passers by. So I returned home and rang the police again.
Several things really got me down, first that the children had so little concern for authority, they didn’t seem to care if anyone witnessed their law breaking and ugly behaviour. And secondly that the police did not seem to have the resources or manpower to deal with the unsocial behaviour immediately, before it got even further out of hand. I then set off again – by this time the children had disappeared – and I sat on a wall and drew these buildings at Pound Farm.
posted by Julie Oakley at Saturday, August 12, 2006
4 Comments:
Julie, I guess it goes on everywhere. It is unfortunate that social graces are in such a shambles and the authorities either can't help or don't care. Your drawing does look very tranquil, to bad the experience didn't match up to the drawing.
Yes I suppose it's the price we pay for freedom of expression. I know that I do not want to be part of a rigid hierarchical society that expects me to curtsey or doff my cap to people who by an accident of birth are considered to be my betters. And in having this less stratified society I can't expect everyone to use their freedom wisely.
Julie, the drawing is really well done. I see yobbish behaviour here too where you might expect the place to be more civilised. But in the UK I think things have gone too far and I really feel it will be a mammoth task (if possible at all) to put the Great back in Great Britain.
i'm from one of the yob cultural capitals of north west london, dodgy youth central, burnt oak, and i hated it there; i had terrible trouble with them a few years back, and my mum still does; but a lot of people don't realise that it goes on in small places too, and it's not just the cities. A friend of mine moved to a village and was surprised by the fact that kids hang about doing the same stuff as they do in the council estates. They're bored, people say, there is nothing for these kids to do! Well, when i was a kid, when i got bored i would sit and draw for hours on end, not hang about abusing people. Maybe that's what they need?
Sorry about your experience; nice picture!
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