Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[sovietsong]

One of my grandaughters planted a sunflower this year, it only got to about 4ft and then it died. (I think it lost the will to live while waiting for the sun)

My cousin's garden is ideal for sunflowers, no matter what the time of day it sunny!  Granted its not a magic garden that can make clouds disappear but if the sun is out its in her garden!

[tikay]

Red, are you watching Martin Clunes : A man and his dogs?

Watching chick flick.

Sky + FTW

Did you catch the rest of that prog on Radio 4 about Gypsy life, Tom?

Yes I did, (Did you?) It was excellent. It's so rare for the media to give us a fair crack of the whip.

I found it so touching listening to the older men talk. People might think that they were exaggerating, but no, they speak the truth.   

Thank you so much for taking the time to ring me about it.


If anyone else wants to hear it (And I urge you to) please click this link.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/romanyroads/pip/0ce72/

Yes, I listened to the whole thing on the BBC Website replay thing.

Did you notice that there were two Shows I think the other one was last week, but it's on the Replay thingie.

I hope others take a listen, it was both wonderful & extremely sad. It exposed some incredible Government discrimination.

Did you hear of that chap who's child was born in a lay-by on the A2, because he'd been "moved on"?

[sovietsong]

Red, are you watching Martin Clunes : A man and his dogs?

Watching chick flick.

Sky + FTW

Did you catch the rest of that prog on Radio 4 about Gypsy life, Tom?

Yes I did, (Did you?) It was excellent. It's so rare for the media to give us a fair crack of the whip.

I found it so touching listening to the older men talk. People might think that they were exaggerating, but no, they speak the truth.   

Thank you so much for taking the time to ring me about it.


If anyone else wants to hear it (And I urge you to) please click this link.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/romanyroads/pip/0ce72/

Just listened to this, v.interesting.  I didn't realise how difficult life can be for a Gypsy.  My only experience of a speaking with a Gypsy before you Red was as a young lad.  I was walking to a friends house and a few similar aged boys approached me and offered to 'fight me for my coat', I politely declined but unfortunately this was not acceptable and I ran as fast as i could...i loved that coat!  

Looking back I dont have a clue if the kids I met were Romany Gypsies or not, all I knew is that they were from an 'illegal' camp site in the back of the local sports centre, I dont suppose it matters.  Upon telling my father about this, he was outragged and told me tale after tale of his problems with 'Gypos', he had many encounters and like a number of people saying all Gypsies were this and were that.  Unfortunately I am unable to sway my father's opinion, he fails to accept that his bad experiences do not represent each and every Gypsy, its hard to accept for me after an upbringing which taught me not to prejudge people.

Ignorance is a terrible thing, however its easier for my father believe that all Gypsies are thieves/violent/untrustworthy than to think that his opinion throughout his adult life could be wrong.  

[Bongo]

I think this quote kind of explains that:

A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.

~Max Planck, A Scientific Autobiography and Other Papers, 1949

It's a shame, but I've given up trying to persuade people.

[RED-DOG]

Red, are you watching Martin Clunes : A man and his dogs?

Watching chick flick.

Sky + FTW

Did you catch the rest of that prog on Radio 4 about Gypsy life, Tom?

Yes I did, (Did you?) It was excellent. It's so rare for the media to give us a fair crack of the whip.

I found it so touching listening to the older men talk. People might think that they were exaggerating, but no, they speak the truth.   

Thank you so much for taking the time to ring me about it.


If anyone else wants to hear it (And I urge you to) please click this link.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/romanyroads/pip/0ce72/

Just listened to this, v.interesting.  I didn't realise how difficult life can be for a Gypsy.  My only experience of a speaking with a Gypsy before you Red was as a young lad.  I was walking to a friends house and a few similar aged boys approached me and offered to 'fight me for my coat', I politely declined but unfortunately this was not acceptable and I ran as fast as i could...i loved that coat! 

Looking back I dont have a clue if the kids I met were Romany Gypsies or not, all I knew is that they were from an 'illegal' camp site in the back of the local sports centre, I dont suppose it matters.  Upon telling my father about this, he was outragged and told me tale after tale of his problems with 'Gypos', he had many encounters and like a number of people saying all Gypsies were this and were that.  Unfortunately I am unable to sway my father's opinion, he fails to accept that his bad experiences do not represent each and every Gypsy, its hard to accept for me after an upbringing which taught me not to prejudge people.

Ignorance is a terrible thing, however its easier for my father believe that all Gypsies are thieves/violent/untrustworthy than to think that his opinion throughout his adult life could be wrong. 

That's an exceptional post under the circumstances.

I bear your dad no malice, but I do hope he opens his mind a little one day.


its easier for my father believe that all Gypsies are thieves/violent/untrustworthy

PS- Ask him if he thinks his description fits this Gypsy.

[sovietsong]

I am very close to my dad, we go to the football every week and I have had many many conversations with him, I have told him about you and the hardworking side to Gyspy life, the problem is from aged 12 to 25 he has fought and struggled with a group of bad people who happen to be Gyspies.  I feel that he has changed his opinion slightly however i doubt he will ever change his mind completely. 

[tikay]

I only became familiar with proper Gypsy ways through Red.

I've asked him a million questions about all sorts of Gypsy things, & watched how he treats me, & other non-Gypsies.

All I can say is this. True Gypsies have incredible honour & integrity, it's in their genes.

A handshake is all it needs to seal a deal, contracts mean nothing.

If a Gypsy does a deal with someone, that's that - it's a deal, whether buyer or seller. No sleepless nights, no checking up, no worries. Mens men.

[RED-DOG]

I am very close to my dad, we go to the football every week and I have had many many conversations with him, I have told him about you and the hardworking side to Gyspy life, the problem is from aged 12 to 25 he has fought and struggled with a group of bad people who happen to be Gyspies.  I feel that he has changed his opinion slightly however i doubt he will ever change his mind completely. 

I totally understand.

[sovietsong]

I only became familiar with proper Gypsy ways through Red.

I've asked him a million questions about all sorts of Gypsy things, & watched how he treats me, & other non-Gypsies.

All I can say is this. True Gypsies have incredible honour & integrity, it's in their genes.

A handshake is all it needs to seal a deal, contracts mean nothing.

If a Gypsy does a deal with someone, that's that - it's a deal, whether buyer or seller. No sleepless nights, no checking up, no worries. Mens men.

I have a million questions, but with time on my side I wont ask them all now!  I never really had an opinion either way, this was mainly in response to my dad overly strong opinions!  I didn't rebel I just thought it was ridiculous to be so narrow minded!!!

[RED-DOG]

I had very much enjoyed hunting with my first ferret “Thin Lizzie” but our partnership came to an untimely end when she died as the result of a rat bite. After a brief but respectable period of mourning, I was keen to replace her as soon as possible. With this in mind, I started perusing the animals and pets section of the “The Star” Sheffield’s local newspaper, copies of which were freely available to anyone who could run very fast.

After a few days worth of diligent browsing, my eyes lit upon this advertisement.

Ferret. Large albino hob. Excellent worker. Not suitable as pet. Free to good home.

To cut al long story short, I went to Rotherham on my bike with my ferret box strapped to the carrier. My cousin Billy Smooth came along for the ride.

The bloke who owned the ferret seemed very keen to part with it. “Ah can tell you lad’s will look after ‘im” he said, “Now dun’t get ‘im near thee face will tha?” And with that, he quickly popped something into the ferret box and went back indoors.

“He’s half mine you know” Said Billy as we rode home, “You heard what he said, he gave him to both of us”

When we got home, I lifted the lid of the ferret box to get a first real look at “Our” ferret. The thing that I saw looked like a lavatory brush and sounded like a well-shaken bottle of Coke with a puncture. This was one angry ferret. Before I could stop him, Billy Smooth put his hand into the box. When he took it out again, the ferret was firmly attached to the fleshy part between his thumb and forefinger.

After a few minutes, he seemed to realise that running back and forth whilst screaming and windmilling his arm as I chased after him wasn’t really working, and instead he stood still, screwed his eyes tightly shut, and held the ferret out towards me. I did eventually manage to ”Pinch it off” by pressing it’s lips against its teeth until it was forced to let go.

After an hour or so, the ferret had calmed down. I assumed that the ride back from Rotherham in the ferret box had upset it, but I was wrong, this ferret was a psychopath.

I came to this realisation the following day when, after watching me handle “Tin ribs” several times without incident, Billy Smooth decided he would like to have another go. He picked the ferret up again, somewhat cautiously at first, but with increasing confidence. Within 10 minutes or so, he was cradling it in his arms like a baby.

Suddenly, and without provocation of any kind, the ferret went all lavatory brush and Coke bottle again and it sank its needle sharp teeth into the nearest piece of flesh. Unfortunately, this happened to be Billy’s right nipple. This time I could do nothing to help; I was transfixed by the spectacle before me.

First of all Billy let out an ear splitting, siren like wail. It was the sort of sound you could only make if you were in terrible pain, or you had won the lottery. “Woooo!  Wooo hooo hooo!” 

Billy grabbed the ferret with both hands and started to pull, howling all the time “Woooo Hooooo!!”  The ferret seemed to stretch to an impossible length, and so did Billy’s tit. Something had to give, and it did.

The ferret didn’t let go, but it’s sharp teeth tore right through Billy’s skin and it came free with a definite twanging sound. Billy quickly lifted up his jersey to survey the damage. He continued to howl, but he stopped every now and then to blow gently on his lacerated nipple. The ferret meanwhile, although perhaps an inch or two longer, seemed to be none the worse for the incident and appeared to have forgotten all about it.

I looked at Billy, his lips pursed, still blowing on his tit. I knew It would be a long time before he forgot, and I suspected his enthusiasm for ferret ownership was waning. 

[Rod Paradise]

Yet again the people in the office think I'm slightly deranged - sitting at my computer and laughing out loud.

[ShatnerPants]

Yet again the people in the office think I'm slightly deranged - sitting at my computer and laughing out loud.

Makes having to work on a bank holiday a genuine pleasure.

Sitting here reading gems like this, or traipsing 'round the shops with the wife and kids ?

No contest.

[AndrewT]

Wincing as I read that.

Is Billy Smooth now called Billy One Tit?

[RED-DOG]

Wincing as I read that.

Is Billy Smooth now called Billy One Tit?

Back in those days, he was called Billy Booth. He had a fantastic head of jet black wavy hair of which he was enormously proud.

Then he went prematurely bald....

[sovietsong]

Another cracking story RED.