through europe

I've seen him before. An older man, from another space-time when work and the rest of life remained distinctly separate, even for those for whom poverty forced to labour long and broken hours.

I come from these lines, the labouring masses. My people, on the whole, were working people. Cooks, waiters, clerks, typists, and a dancing girl, my English great-grandmother. Was this code for a prostitute I wondered, but my Pommie brother who's delved deep into working class culture tells me it could simply mean that she was a dancing girl.

I'm deep breathing. I am.

Lucky I can. With the knowhow. It stands to reason relaxing's not the easiest thing in the world otherwise there'd be relaxed people wherever you went. I was at the Facility at 2.30 and the Unit at 4 and I didn't see too many relaxed people round there. At the Annexe I didn't see any at all.

Lungs in good running order. What do you expect, immaculate bodywork? It goes doesn't it?

I’m a person.

I’ve got money. I went in a shop. I’ve got my cassette. It’s in my pocket. I bought it in the shop. Brother James and Sister Sue will play it when I get there. They’ll play it and they’ll sing and I’ll sing.

She’s not really called Sister Sue, that’s what I call her. She doesn’t mind. My feet are wet. They’re wet inside my trainers and they’ll be all wrinkly. They gave me these trainers at Makepeace House, when I left. Before that I wore slippers. When I was at Makepeace House I wore slippers and in the grounds I wore Wellingtons.

Londres, 9 décembre.

Les étudiants ont manifesté massivement, en un nombre tel qu’on le voyait pas depuis des années. Oui, c’est vrai, mais ce n’est pas cela la nouvelle. La foule a encerclé la voiture de Charles et Camilla en la frappant à coup de pieds. Cela est vrai aussi, mais ce n’est pas la nouvelle. Les étudiants ont commencé à répondre à la violence policière avec la violence. Ils ont attaqué le siège du Ministère du Trésor et l’ont saccagé et transformé en chiottes. Tout cela est vrai, mais ce n’est toujours pas la nouvelle.