Memorials

A memorial chair snapped in our newly paved market square this morning. A chair which I object to on at least three grounds.

First, I think the time for first world war flavoured memorials is past. It would have been clean, neat and tidy to draw a line under the whole dreadful business on the centenary of its ending.

Second, it looks rather untidy to have a different sort of chair set up in the middle of all other new chairs - one of which is visible behind. Moaning at reference 1 notwithstanding.

Third, I do not think it is appropriate to sit on war memorials. It is one thing to have a park bench in Nonsuch Park, on the sunny side of the wall running south from the big house, dedicated to someone who liked to sit there in their pensioner years, dedicated by means of a discrete brass plate. It is quite another to sit on a rather tawdry representation of a group of soldiers.

Perhaps our town councillors just go weak at the knees at the thought of having to go the distance with people going on about our heroes.

But going on to pass the chipper, 'The Plaice to Eat', just about visible behind the bus stop top right, I thought it time to go there for lunch, it being about a year since our last visit. Too long, given that it is a very good chipper.

So, large cod, chips, mushy peas & chardonnay for me, small cod, chips, salad and tea for her. With some bread, wallies and so forth to keep us going while we waited for our cod. All very good. And I am pleased to say that the place was busy, mostly with pensioners like ourselves. Long may it last! Maybe we will move up to a regular weekly spot.

From where I associate to a very smartly turned out, elderly gentleman whom we once came across in the Superfish in Ashstead, a gentleman who appeared to be a solicitor widower or something of that sort and who just had to have his fag after his fish supper, this being by the time when most restaurants had banned smoking. But he was old enough that he was allowed his fag. They even dug up an ashtray for him.

Reference 1: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2019/12/poor-detailing.html.

Reference 2: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2019/01/fake-55.html.