Thursday, November 23, 2006

Back in the real world

“Citizens of this country will be absolutely appalled” crowed Paula Lawton, resident of Elgin Crescent 'a sweep of millionaires' houses in Kensington', in response to a High Court decision which agreed that a father and his five-year old son had played football together in the road's private gardens. Lawton argued this turned the garden into a recreation ground. West London magistrates had previously thrown out the private prosecution as two people couldn't play football – you need a team. The High Court judges would not, however, allow a retrial as this would be “inappropriate.” (Guardian).

Well, I am “absolutely appalled” - by this woman's ridiculous behaviour. I'm not convinced I know quite how to define a real world but she's certainly not living in one. Perhaps she'd like to stop by here one day. We regularly have groups of 10 to 20 teenagers playing football outside our home. Funnily enough I see this as an entirely normal part of growing up. It means that they aren't hanging around bored causing trouble elsewhere.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

EX-BLOODY-ACTLY!

Anonymous said...

She should be glad that they are indulging in a healthy activity instead of throwing bricks at her windows like in lots of other areas.

Will said...

Seriously, how can anyone be offended by a kickabout? Unless they were using a human head for a football. I guess they probably weren't though.

* (asterisk) said...

Ridiculous! Sure, I can understand it grating to have people kicking a football around for hours outside your front door. But, like you say, this is what we all did as kids. It's the way of the world. Jesus Christ, woman, deal with it!

ems said...

Lynn, I have had a couple of footballs at my kitchen window but I have managed to get the kids to see it isn't fair (or necessary).

Will, I reckon you guess correctly.

* I was always the one who went to retrieve the ball when it landed in someone's garden. We were chased by a man with a pitchfork once though. We couldn't believe it. What was a man in Romford doing with such a thing?

Anonymous said...

Not only does she clearly have too much time on her hands, but one suspects that there are some dark psychological factors at play. Sad and a tad unsettling.