Mike’s
Pith & Wind cont.
.. rammed down our throats then and so retained
a healthy sense of inquisitiveness and, well, a healthy naivety. I feel sorry
for kids missing out on a chunk of their childhood because they’re confronted
with adults’ version of reality too soon. No wonder youth suicide is an issue…
but I feel myself being drawn into an area that relies too heavily on suspicion
and hearsay – in short, I’m betraying my mediaeval origins.
A bit later: Bill’s just left, and we’ve had a red wine supported
discussion about various issues, including the NYE syndrome. The consensus
was that we baby-boomers have had the best of it and that the present crop
of kids under discussion don’t have a lot to look forward to. Nature has a
curious way of looking after itself. As (inebriated) evidence of this, I waved
in the general direction of the back yard, where a Cabbage tree (or Cabbage
palm) presently thrusts skyward through the acquiescent Almond tree.
The Cabbage tree’s mother used to be situated a few feet away and chose to
have no progeny until (tree) moments before falling over unexpectedly, but
nonetheless emphatically and terminally.
Drawing a long thematic bow, I think the current crop of kids might be some
indicator of things to come – or maybe, things not to come. Maybe
they’re living like there’s no tomorrow because there is no tomorrow.
I dunno where this is leading, mind you. But not teaching English grammar
anymore has got something to do with it I’m sure. Or, at least, I was
sure..