13-Nov-2003, 08:04 PM
As a golden oldie, or silver surfer, or whatever, I have read the previous posts and thought back to long ago, when I was the same age.We used to start at The Roebuck, go to the Ship Inn, call at the Seven Stars and go and sit on the market stalls and generally "misbehave". This was in the days before canned drinks, or Supermarkets , and in strict licensing hours. We hadn`t been sat long on the market stalls in Water Street when the stawarts of law and order - Sergeants Pollitt and Turner turned up to remonstrate with us. Not for them the P.C. approach of today, but a flailing rolled up policeman`s cape, used like a Samurai sword and woe betide you if they hit you, this was the law, and you respected it. We did not return to goad them into further action, but quietly dispersed to our other haunts, muttering about how lucky or unlucky we had been. Threats from the law of "We know who your father is" did the trick - with the dreaded visit of one of the worthy`s to our home with "Did you know where your son was on Saturday" as an introduction. They always found us. Parental control counted in those days, that is what should be re-instated now, but sadly the do-gooders of this world stand on the side of the guilty and berate those who complain for being intolerant, and call for Human Rights to act. I`m afraid its here to stay, you can drive it underground, but it wont go away, it will just carry on as though it never happened. We were always careful the next time we went out, but we never stopped, and now complain loudest of all at the young of today. We, you and I, are the guilty ones for allowing it to happen in the first place. I could go much further into this, but will stop there, but any who were teenagers during the War, think back to how YOU were...... William R.