So Many Things To Commemorate

[poliphilo]

Last week the racks at the entrance to Sainsbury's were full of Halloween junk- and had been for a month or more; yesterday some fairy had waved her wand and the Halloween junk had been transformed into Christmas junk. Three Christmas presents for the price of two!  The only nod to it being Bonfire Weekend was a special offer on parkin. We bought a packet of parkin and should have bought two, because it was very good and though it was priced at £1.49 they only charged us 44p at check-out.

There was a bunch of old guys in berets selling poppies by the exit. An instructor from the Air Cadets was standing talking to them. We'd spotted him earlier breezing round the aisles with his basket.  He was about 40 and wearing his camouflage kit and rakish beret like he'd just come off the parade ground.  I took an immediate dislike. I don't know, but I think it's inappropriate- in fact, sort of rude- to swagger round a civilian environment dressed like that- especially when you're not a proper soldier. I tried very hard not to think "wanker!" but it was too late; I already had.

Here's something Einstein once said: "When a person can take pleasure in marching in step to a piece of music it is enough to make me despise him. He has been given his big brain only by mistake."

This year I'm wearing a little enamel poppy lapel badge that Ailz bought for me in the British Legion shop in Ypres.

Comments

[loxian.livejournal.com]

Church Lads Brigade! Yes! I came across these people for the first time in Bristol a year or so ago - I had never heard of it before. They were hilarious in a Roderick Spode kind of way.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes, very Spodeish. They're a bit like the Scouts only churchier and more militaristic.