white van men

[pabird]

Just stood in Fleet St having my mid-day look at the world when a white van carrying the legend "instant fire control" on the sides passed by

In my minds eye I could see a bucket of sand, a bucket of water and a blanket with the drivers filled to overflow on best bitter

Closely behind came a white van bearing the legend "rentokill" now in overdrive my eye picture conjured up Blair and Bush in the back with a red mobil phone each looking for any arab controlling a bucket of oil

On returning to my office I was informed that the Serbian Prime Minister had just been shot and killed and me not even aware Serbia had oil

Excuse me lads bit of a strange day?

[Merv]

It's all a far cry from the infant classroom where I spend much of my day. Hold on though, on the door to the classroom we have the following ditty -

 

Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do and how to be, I learned at nursery school. Wisdom was not at the top of the secondary school mountain, but there, in the sandbox at nursery school.

 

These are the things I learned: Share everything, Play fair, Don’t hit people, Put things back where you found them, Clean up your own mess, Don’t take things that aren’t yours, Say sorry when you hurt someone, Wash your hands before you eat, Flush the toilet, Warm biscuits and milk are good for you, Live a balanced life, Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

 

When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup; the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

 

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the plastic cup - they all die. So do we.

 

And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK. Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The golden rules and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and sane living.

 

Think what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had biscuits and milk at about three o’clock every afternoon, Or if we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put things back where we found them and clear up our own mess. And it’s still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it’s best to hold hands and stick together.

 

Makes you think, doesn't it?

 

[Matt H]

It's 7:50pm and I've just got back from College, (although I finished at five) I stayed behind for an hour or so...

Reading Merv's post it reminds me of a few things I've seen in Southend since I've started.

 

Birth, death, love, hate, friends, foes, I've all seen references to it if not with my own eyes.

 

I could certainly do with a biscuit right now, I've just had to hand in a 1500 word piece of Film Studies coursework... no problem, lucky I enjoy the subject I managed 2159 words and got penalised!!!

 

Matt CIFC <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[YELLOW]

Hmm reminds me of my university days, writing numerous disertations. Try writing a 10,000 word disertation, you would need more than a couple of biscuits!

 

Anybody on the Island have a power cut about 8.25 this evening? Very weird how it happened just minutes before the big Killer Corrie finale in which tricky Dicky Hillman finally meets his maker (OK i'm probably the only one who watches it on here). Even weirder the power came back just as it started.

 

Do you reckon those boys from 24/7 could arrange something if things go a bit pear shaped on April 15th!!

[Merv]

Were Canvey losing 2-0 at the time?

 

(Sorry G&N fans, stolen your thunder again?)

[Matt H]

Speaking of Universities I had a lovely visit from the representitives of Oxbridge today, and I've been picked from a select of an elite minority for a trip to the City of London University in a couple of weeks.

 

If they don't let me have a go of the film cameras I will immediately strike them off my list!!! Mind you I might stay and do my degree at SEEC in the new building next to Southend Central...oh decisions, decisions!!!

 

Matt CIFC <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[CANV EFM]

loafer.. get a job ;-)

[pabird]

I have just read through these postings and whilst on the minds eye form the of written word there must be occasions when visitors to this forum wonder where they have landed

 

[pabird]

Think what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had biscuits and milk at about three o’clock every afternoon, Or if we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put things back where we found them and clear up our own mess. And it’s still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it’s best to hold hands and stick together.

 

I read you again Merv and wondered how different the picture in my minds eye than to differing age groups.

 

I go back to cold milk but no biscuits (circa 1943) and and afternoon nap (summertime) on small steel sprung beds in the playground

The most vivid memory being aroused due to V11 rockets passing overhead seeking the Wood Green Ally Pally marshalling yards

No panic but cold quite fear contained on the inside that I can reach down and touch even now

A generation designed by circumstance to show no pain

Lads now men I shared that experience with are still close friends and the (metaphorical) holding hands is there yet

[Merv]

I re-read that piece on the nursery door over and over again and, like you, I find so many parallels with my own life and how I try to live it.

 

Sometimes the most simple writings are the most profound.

[Andy the Marsh Rat]

And sometimes they are posts from cum on ricay

[Matt H]

CANV if I got a job believe me I'd get the train!!

 

It's just taken me 2 hours and 20 minutes to get from Victoria Circus home and an hour and 45 minutes of that was getting from Vic House Corner to Waterside, I mean honestly what kind of a dickhead digs a hole in the middle of the road outside Benfleet Rail Station and hour before the Friday rush hour?! Then the bus driver gets a call from HQ telling him that there has been a double accident at Kents Hill and we might be delayed for a bit. That's a lot of good when we're at the top of Essex Way and we've already been delayed for 40 minutes!!!!

 

Grrrrr I had to get that off my chest!!!

 

Matt CIFC <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

[scoot]

get off and walk then you lazy student !!

honestly ..kids of today eh ?? moan moan moan

When I lived on Canvey, after a good session on the sauce up town on a friday (later on that would turn to school nights as well but thats another story!)

if you were not first off the train at Benfleet you found yourself last in the taxi queue ! so it was a course of 'head down' and pace it out back to the Island ! took me 45 mins ( cutting across the golf course as well, i must have been mad!) all that just to save a fiver ! does that make me a student ?? arrggghh !! im off for a pot noodle and a smoke on the reefer !

[Matt H]

I've done that plenty of times too!

 

It's quite nice if the Sun is just setting and your backpack isn't full to the brim of textbooks and notes. Even better with a slight breeze and you usually get to Waterside before any of the buses too.

 

Matt CIFC <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[scoot]

i prefer to pack a 9 iron and play some holes on route !

[YELLOW]

I walked from the station the day Southend beat us in the cup. Got back to Benfleet and it was a half hour wait for a bus, so I thought sod it, I'll walk. Got to the High Street and the heavens opened for the umpteemth time that day. The team coach drove past, wouldn't give me a lift!

So I got home, muttering all sorts like 'Scott Forbes you're a ....!

 

Nice walk on a sunny day but not on a cold December Sunday!!

[scoot]

ha ha i like that ! (sorry i shouldn't laugh)

i can just imagine the bus driver veering over the road towards that puddle thats staring you in the face before soaking you to the bone !

[YELLOW]

No don't laugh! When it rains really heavily you get really large puddles right by the bus stop opposite the Haystack.

I have to admit that its hilarious watching the car drivers deliberately splashing through them and soaking a load of school kids standing waiting for a bus.

 

The damn fools are so naive! Why stand right next to a large puddle? That is simply asking for trouble!

[Matt H]

Yeah, if I could drive I'd aim for every current Yr. 11 that goes to Furtherwick, I've had dealings with them before. Luckily that extra years experience gave me that advantage, especially when you know the teachers better than the year below. You know which to bribe and which to suck up to!

 

I hope my ICT Tutor's cheque clears before the next Parents Evening...

 

Matt CIFC <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />