Walking back from the bank last week, I noticed a close neighbour of mine sitting on one of the benches near the Library, so I went and sat alongside him.
Cliff is seventy-seven, and an ex Policeman. We enjoyed a smoke together whilst desultory chatting about the weather and the general state of the Country.
Later, another Stalwart friend of mine, Eddie, who has a seat on our local Housing Authority Board, walked over and joined us.
I hadn’t seen Eddie for over two years, since we last sat on the Housing Committee together.
After more introductions and general pleasantries the convesastion moved to Politics as per usual.
Eddie, being a staunch Labour man, and I, never exactly saw eye-to-eye on Politics, although off the Committee and away from the meetings, we were quite good friends.
He is also an ex Copper, and reached the rank of Sargent before retiring.
I just happened to mention that I was considering standing for the Council next year as a BNP candidate. Whoops! Eddie visably bristled, and said;
“So, if you had been able to vote in the American elections, you would not have voted for Obama then?
“Yes I would have”, I answered, “why, whatever makes you think that?”
“Well, he’s Black”, said Eddie.
“Yes, I know, so what, what difference does that make?” I questioned.
“Well, you know” said Eddie, “the mans colour.”
“Oh”, said I, “I’ve got it now, so you think that because I mentioned the BNP that automatically makes me a racist, does it?”
“Well, doesn’t it?” he replied, surprised.
“No”, I responded, “it most certainly does not. I would have voted for Obama, simply because I think he was the best man for the job.
His colour wouldn’t be an issue for me”
“Well, I thought it did,” he said.
“Eddie, my friend, you have been reading too much of Labours’ propaganda again, haven’t you, don’t believe everything you hear or read. You know that your lot hate the BNP because you are worried about losing votes to them. Well, believe me, Eddie, whether you like it or not, it’s happening right now, and is going to happen more and more in the future.”
We left it there, and changed the subject onto education, and we all three agreed that no way would we ever want to be young again, in these troubling and uncertain times.
