Sunday February 7th 1932
Went for a walk with Mr Wood, Bim, Bunty and Barry. Across fields to Newtown Linford and Bradgate Park. Lunches in the Park. Back via Anstey. Pace fairly fast. Barry lagged and grumbled. He nearly had a fight with a young man who happened to be sitting on a stile with his girl.
2002 Comment -
What actually happened was that we all climbed over the stile easily but Barry turned and shouted, "Why don't you do your courting on the bloody tramlines?" We walked on and then Mr Wood said "Hem! (he always cleared his throat before a pronouncement) "That was rather unwise Barry."
About two miles further on, in the outskirts of the city, the young man suddenly appeared, seized Barry by the arm and snarled "how dare you speak to me like that in front of my girl?" Barry turned green with fright. "You're going to get a beating!" said the young man.
Mr Young took in the situation at a glance, "take this," he said, passing me the dog lead. He went back and took over the quarrel, "Barry was very rude. He is going to apologise. Barry! Apologise!" "Sorry," muttered the trembling Barry. "There", said Mr Wood with a terrible calmness, "you have had your apology. Now you may go."
"Who says so?" demanded the still angry young man. "I do!" said Mr Wood, and his look scared me, although I only caught it sideways. A pause, then the young man, cowed, muttered, "yeah, well, in that case... I suppose it's alright" and shuffled back on his two mile return journey.
An amusing exhibition of power. In these days, would one call it high "street cred"?
2002 Comment -
What actually happened was that we all climbed over the stile easily but Barry turned and shouted, "Why don't you do your courting on the bloody tramlines?" We walked on and then Mr Wood said "Hem! (he always cleared his throat before a pronouncement) "That was rather unwise Barry."
About two miles further on, in the outskirts of the city, the young man suddenly appeared, seized Barry by the arm and snarled "how dare you speak to me like that in front of my girl?" Barry turned green with fright. "You're going to get a beating!" said the young man.
Mr Young took in the situation at a glance, "take this," he said, passing me the dog lead. He went back and took over the quarrel, "Barry was very rude. He is going to apologise. Barry! Apologise!" "Sorry," muttered the trembling Barry. "There", said Mr Wood with a terrible calmness, "you have had your apology. Now you may go."
"Who says so?" demanded the still angry young man. "I do!" said Mr Wood, and his look scared me, although I only caught it sideways. A pause, then the young man, cowed, muttered, "yeah, well, in that case... I suppose it's alright" and shuffled back on his two mile return journey.
An amusing exhibition of power. In these days, would one call it high "street cred"?
posted by Nina Wilson at 7:26 pm
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