Hackney, That Rose-Red Empire
I was lucky and got a copy of this for
Christmas. Doubly lucky, because I got a copy of Ghost Milk, too.
I've some library loans that I should, really, be reading, but the
draw of Sinclair's writing has proved too strong to resist.
Sinclair has lived in Hackney for forty
years. That's an immense amount of material to work with. While every
part of London is unique, there's always recognisable elements to any
one that are relevant elsewhere. Markets, cafés, barbers, pubs, the
hubs of community eschewed by, frowned upon by the politicians who
preface every pronouncement with the 'community' buzzword. He
describes poor housing as: “Holding camps for social
engineering...visited by the preacher / politician Tony Blair, at the
start of a glittering career of photo opportunities.” What does a
house made up of career politicians packed off to boarding schools as
soon as they're dry overnight, who will pack their own kids off the
same way, know of community?
Rachel Lichtenstein described the
last-straw mugging of her child-minder on her own doorstep, that made
her move away: “I told [the big, dreadlocked, black ex-boxer living
opposite] about it. He said 'if I'd seen him, I'd have chopped his
arms off with my Samurai sword.'” I understand bloke, it's the
only language I'm fluent in. Her neighbour was trying to be
comforting.
A bi-polar clash
We're playing the other team from
Fulham today. We've two teams. Either of them may turn up for any
given game. Same for them. There's the Arsenal, and Chelsea teams.
Then there's our evil twin, Give-You-The-Arse-nal, and they've got
Leigh-on-Sea (reserves).
In order of likelihood:
Proper Chelsea v GYTA
They rip us a new one, and Benitez'
hoodoo over Wenger continues. Wenger talks about aggression and
authority, yet that's just what he's stripped from the squad pursuing
his dream of textbook football.
Might lead to investment in the squad,
buying in guys who can play that are also blessed with a
psychopathic streak.
Leigh-on-Sea (reserves) v proper
Arsenal
We tear them a new one. Their fans hate
Benitez that little bit more. Abramovich brings in his uncle Vlad as
caretaker interim temporary manager.
Leigh-on-Sea (reserves) v GYTA play out
a 0-0 bore draw.
Proper Chelsea v Proper Arsenal
Great for the neutrals a fantastic game
of football is decided by a Nuttyboy Winterburn memory reviving
thirty yard top corner thunderbolt from Gibbs. Uncle Vlad replaces
Benitez and we don't buy anyone and finish 6th.
Match update
More complicated than previously
anticipated. Bi-polarity can exhibit half-to-half. Unfortunately the
second half display was rendered irrelevant and redundant by the
first half. Will Giroud ever realise that he's a 6'4” monster, or
remain a “ooohhhh, it hurrrrrts” wimp all his life?
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