NEW HOMES FOR OLD...

I was looking at a photo of where I used to live back

in the mid-'60s and early '70s, comparing the field where I

used to play across from my house with how it looks today

(see here) and a memory jumped into my mind.  Which was

that, on the evening of the flitting, after settling into our

new home, I made my way back along to that field.

It was almost an instinct.  After all, I didn't know

anyone in our new neighbourhood, so it felt natural to

continue the habit of nearly seven years and seek out the

environs that were familiar to me.  As I entered the field, a

group of local kids sitting in a far corner, turned and saw

me approaching them.  "What are you doing here?"

one of them asked in an unwelcoming tone.

I didn't understand their sullen coldness towards me

then, but I think I do now.  We hadn't informed any of our

neighbours of our intention to move, so it would have been a

surprise to them on the day.  Maybe our moving was regard-

ed as a betrayal of sorts, an abandonment of the area and

those who lived there - as if we'd thought we were too

good for the place and turned our backs on it.

It seemed I was regarded as no longer belonging to

the area, but as yet it was too early for me to feel part

of our new neighbourhood, which meant I was in a kind of

limbo as far as 'community identity' goes.  Luckily, I didn't

feel too displaced, as our new residence was at the top of

a hill just as our old one had been, so the layout was

very similar in some ways, which was comforting.

I've never quite forgotten how quickly people can

be to shut others out of the group at the drop of a hat.

Luckily, I've never had that 'gang' mentality, so it didn't

bother me that I was no longer considered one of 'the

  lads'.  Still, like I say - I've never quite forgotten. 

Posted in: Cartoons