dan_bo
How much does it cost to Oldham?
When I was a kid, there were plenty of people in the community that added colour to the daily drudge, and then there were the proper, copper bottomed bread and butters. A few examples;
Nitty Nora- An older Catholic Irish lady who lived in a boarded up house round the corner who used to stand at the end of our street on a Sunday morning in all weathers calling no-one in particular bastards, whores and sinners, we're all gonna rot in hell for our sins etc etc etc- this would usually carry on 'till someone chucked a bucket of water over her (which did happen on a couple of occasions)
Sideways Tommy- little old feller who walked around with a crash helmet on back to front who regularly approached people and said '3-2-1- Wowwwwwww!'. He'd also be doing this whilst sat on his todd in the pub (crash helmet removed obviously).
That bloke who lived near school who walked around in his dead mothers' dresses. He WAS a tad sinister.
Chicken George- A 1st generation jamaican immigrant who had polio as a child. Walked with a profound limp (he needed crutches or a chair really- never occured to him to get one). Really cheerful bloke- he'd walk pas you on the other side of the street, big grin on his pus saying 'OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKAY!' to friends and strangers alike.
Anyway, these people were on the whole harmless, but where have they and their like gone? They added colour and character to my childhood community, but these days as we bovinely go about our business behind our steering wheels or staring at the glowing black mirror as we walk about, we don't even seem to care.
What sez you? Any nutjob reminisces?
Nitty Nora- An older Catholic Irish lady who lived in a boarded up house round the corner who used to stand at the end of our street on a Sunday morning in all weathers calling no-one in particular bastards, whores and sinners, we're all gonna rot in hell for our sins etc etc etc- this would usually carry on 'till someone chucked a bucket of water over her (which did happen on a couple of occasions)
Sideways Tommy- little old feller who walked around with a crash helmet on back to front who regularly approached people and said '3-2-1- Wowwwwwww!'. He'd also be doing this whilst sat on his todd in the pub (crash helmet removed obviously).
That bloke who lived near school who walked around in his dead mothers' dresses. He WAS a tad sinister.
Chicken George- A 1st generation jamaican immigrant who had polio as a child. Walked with a profound limp (he needed crutches or a chair really- never occured to him to get one). Really cheerful bloke- he'd walk pas you on the other side of the street, big grin on his pus saying 'OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKAY!' to friends and strangers alike.
Anyway, these people were on the whole harmless, but where have they and their like gone? They added colour and character to my childhood community, but these days as we bovinely go about our business behind our steering wheels or staring at the glowing black mirror as we walk about, we don't even seem to care.
What sez you? Any nutjob reminisces?