i just added my blog to new cross bloggers and so thought i better write something about New Cross as most of my blogs are pure self indulgent rants but i really think these are valid in this utterly insane world in which we find ourselves.
however, i spose a vague interpretation of New Cross from behind my eyes may be appropriate.
okay where do i start?
it's pretty grimy and populated by chicken shops a plenty.
even on Christmas day there are bins overflowing with grime and uncollected bulging bin liners rat pecked at. New Cross stops for no one.
when it snows it is pretty, when it rains it is nice cos people don't like the rain.
i say that but it's not true. when it rains here there are the die hards who go out taking their dogs for a walk on the more silent streets. the odd ones, umbrellas up or none, who relish in the shiny grey and empty streets. the pattering grey rain the wilder skies.
the rain is the last nod to a wilder natural world than the grey car lined streets housing thousands who don't even know their neighbours faces.
rain likers.
when the riots happened my street was full of local looters and people walked by with i pads and massive televisions.
there was a sort of carnival atmosphere.
i myself was kind of tempted. i am desperate for an apple mac.
the enthusiasm, the smiles, the kindred spirit of the people as they ran gladly to the local store to loot was almost community, was almost kind.
there are frequent wails of police car sirens and often a helicopter brurrs above whirring round and round. we grow excited and stand outside the back door wondering who they are chasing this time.
we joke it is us.
sometimes i really think it is.
people have guns and crime is sometimes rife it seems.
on the radio it said kidz keep guns round here.
a young woman was shot,
and two beautiful men from France were slaughtered quite nearby.
but it is not all bad.
here are old and young, friendly and indifferent
all nationalities and all sorts of people.
sometimes it is a blessing to live here, sometimes it is a curse.
i long for open spaces, trees, water; smiling faces.
sometimes there are smiling faces.
kids ride round on bikes some act scary.
there is not much for the young to do.
on Sunday i walked from new cross to Greenwich.
a man on the street lurched with each footstep and walked like a monster
- i think he had tourettes -
anyway he lurched from pillar to post roaring 'for fucks sake... fucking hell' etc
and that is an abbreviated and gentle translation
but he uttered words which really expressed a human emotion of anger and hatred and damn fed up infuriation
'he s acting like i feel' i tell a fellow street walker ( i mean a man walking by not a prozzie- i know of none in new x but who knows?)
he was like the elephant man
ugly and terrifying and spilling from his mouth those things We keep silent and within.
no one in new cross batted an eyelid.
we all walked by.
a little wary but unshakable.
there are students everywhere
all excited
and dressed in patterned tights and from little places
i prejudicedly presume
this is just a place they visit before they go on to get their mortgages.
i prejudicedly presume
where they score drugs and have ripped tights and discuss university stuff
before they settle down and
disown this place and join the Tory party. (highly prejudiced)
pubs there are a few.
dusty old and new
and drugs and dealers
and on some corners people looking for both..
the library's been shut down next to iceland the shop.
thanks new government.
on my street i know a handful of people
but the community is scarce as far as i know.
when i go out in the morning to put out my rubbish i want to say hello
but more often than not the passing human will bow his head and walk on by. no good morning. no hello.
when someone smiles or says hello its like the sun comes out.
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