Tuesday 19 October 2010

Happy Birthday Harry


Some people talk complete crap.

My Uncle Ed is a case in point, but today the person who annoyed me was on the radio.

He was interviewing a French Trade Union representative and basically telling him that the government was going to finalise the new law concerning the retirement plans of very many anyway, and therefore he had no right blocking the oil refineries.

Some people confuse democratic representation and being in power – they are not the same folks.

If you were lucky enough to be elected you merely represent our wishes, and if you decide to do things without consulting us first we have every right to try and make you look like an idiot.

And if the laws you pass are rubbish we will continue to do our best to subvert them.

Some people say the French strike too much.

Some people (possibly French mainly) say the rest of the world doesn’t strike enough.

I’ve just dropped my daughter at school - well I’ve just dropped her at the picket line outside the school, which she is joining for the third day. It’s freezing but she has determination and a flask of hot chocolate to keep her warm.

I had to fight for the thermos being there – it leaks a bit so I improvised a floppy piece of plastic wedge-stuff under the top.

It didn’t look cool.

Apparently it is important to look cool on the picket line here in France.

Last week I had just arrived at work when I received a text message from her.

“There is a blocus (blockade) in Gaillac, it’s soooo cool! So I can’t go in class! If they phone don’t worry. Love you xx”

Now I was worried.

I hate it when headmasters phone me.

I was also a little surprised – she sleeps in the school during the week, how could she not get to class?

So I texted back.

She replied –“Yeah we went outside because there were loads of people and we were like: what’s going on and then they put up the barriers……”

Oh good, I know what to tell the headmaster now and I clearly don’t need to worry.

Did she put her coat on, a hat? What will she eat? Will she pass her exams and get a good job? Will I like the boy she chooses? Will I get to see my own grandchildren? Am I ready to be a grandad? Will she play the piano at my funeral?

I asked her if she new what she was blockading for.

She did and she told me I should be out there too.

Representative decromagitation.

6 comments:

Mary said...

And what would representative decromagitation be, I wondered?

So I googled it.

But even google -- the people who found the Amazing Mendezies which led to my eventually finding BnB's-- couldn't come up with a single reference.

?? -- No wonder I'm dizzy and confused!


Mx

PS Your daughter is talented, politically active and not to mention gorgeous - a triple threat!

PPS Looks like 'Grandad' is holding up just fine.

Mary said...

PPPS - who by the way is Harry?

Am I the only one who doesn't get this?

M

popps said...

Mary - it was a made up word, half democracy and half
agitation.
Harry is someone who might read the blog, Saff's son, he's 18 today and the photo was originally for him to be added to a wall of friend's photos.
Sorry, it was only meant to be understood by him.

Mary said...

Dizzy and dunder-headed -- I confuse myself!

M

PS Have reread Sunday's top 10 digestive post. It's a riddle that I can't solve.

popps said...

That's funny, because in fact you HAVE solved it, you just haven't realised - that's why i said "hmmm, very clever".

Mary said...

Story of my life -- I've found it except I don't know what IT is.

Like James Caan's mobster character says about his son in the movie Mickey Blue Eyes

"The boy's got an IQ of 174 and what do you get? An idiot."

M:-)