Wednesday 10 September 2014

City life, again

Our corner of London has been completely snarled up this morning - there had apparently been a big accident on the M1, leading to the road being closed from just north of us to its southern end. And, sod's law being what it is, this morning was when we needed to head to our local tube station to renew K's bus pass, so she could get to school. Getting into the town centre wasn't too bad, but getting out again on the route to K's school was a nightmare, and I know first hand, because I'd decided to take the same bus to do some shopping at the big supermarket just down the road from the school. A journey that, even in the rush hour, shouldn't have taken more than about 20 minutes ended up taking almost an hour, leaving K fifteen minutes late for school. She wasn't alone though, because seven or eight other pupils got off the bus at her stop, so she would have had corroborating evidence of the reason for her lateness, if any was required. I'd rung the school, albeit only getting a voicemail service, while we stuck in the traffic, in any case, so I'll be thoroughly irritated if K ends up facing any kind of disciplinary issue.
Irritation of a different kind overtook me on the way back from work last night. At the point where I transfer from train to bus, what appeared to be an extended family, of Asian extraction, was standing outside a restaurant, presumably leaving after a meal. Despite their heritage, they were speaking English, and, as I passed, a woman of grandmotherly age, directed a comment, nothing short of ridicule, towards two other members of the party. The pair concerned were two little boys, neither of whom could have been more than four years old. Their 'crime'? They were holding hands, and she was quite frankly laughing at them. Hardly surprisingly, the boys just looked confused, obviously having no idea what they were supposed to have done wrong. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - as far as I'm concerned, homophobia, and bigotry in general, is learned, not innate.

Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B

2 comments:

  1. I hate traffic. The Interstate runs right through our downtown, and listening to traffic reports on the radio in the mornings and afternoons, you'd think the Demolition Derby was a daily event. Backups of miles and miles due to lane closures because of wrecks. Drives me crazy. My satnav knows all the shortcuts, so then I see the sign that says things are backed up, or hear it on the radio, I exit, and satnav "recalculates" so I am only a minute or three later getting home. That's about the only joy to a private car instead of public transportation!

    Poor kids. There's little doubt they were just being kids, but granny was being an a$$.

    Peace <3
    Jay

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    Replies
    1. Hello Jay
      Normally, we would've had at least a general heads-up about the chaos from listening to the radio, but in having to rush out early to do the Oystercard business, there was no time to listen, so the first we knew of it was two stops into the bus journey out of 'town', when everything ground to a halt, and, as you suggest, by that stage there's not much you can do about it when you're sitting on a bus. At least K didn't get any hassle at school - I suspect many, many others were late yesterday, given the general mayhem.
      The evening before was one of those occasions when I was sorely tempted to wade in with a comment of my own, but managed to keep it to muttering under my breath. As you say, I'm sure there was nothing in the boys' connection beyond the affection of cousins, or whatever they were, so for an adult to have deliberately set out to humiliate them is unforgivable, as far as I'm concerned.

      Love & best wishes
      Sammy B

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