Not My World Anymore – Graham May (25th)

As an old codger myself I echo Peter Culley’s observations and would add the following. Yes we had some great kids comics and the so- called happiest days of our lives at school, but all I really remember of those early days of the late 1940’s and early 1950’s was a growing feeling of pride. Pride in the United Kingdom, our history, our achievements and the then way of life. This feeling was there even more when I first put on my Royal Air Force uniform at Hereford in 1955 and saluted the flag. Regrettably, my service career was cut short 1n 1958 but I bounced back and found myself in the swinging sixties with a wife, a job and a mortgage. I was opposed to the Ban the Bomb marchers as I felt that, if there was to be a nuclear conflict, we should get in first. I detested the eternal strikes and gloom of the seventies with the I’m all right Jack brigade but then loved the sunshine of the eighties when Maggie gave the nation a chance to show that it still had some balls – at least for a while that is. Then came the downward spiral from the nineties to the present day, I think my pride started to wane when the Dambusters film was shown on TV, for the umpteenth time, but with all reference to the name of Guy Gibson’s dog bleeped out. This half baked attitude went on and on and still continues to affect many fine old films and TV series even to this day. Then came a Labour Government and our country was involved in dubious conflicts abroad and despair at home. Later we had those EU fiasco’s followed by the half hearted Brexit deals and the Conservative party fun and games. Now we have the lunacy of transgender, uncontrolled immigration and the Stop Oil morons to name but a few. I have found it hard to get a grip or even bother with these continued waves of insanity and therefore I have, technically. stopped my world and got off,

I now spend a great deal of time on my computer with Fight Simulators as well as daily walks with Bobbie, our loveable old collie, We discuss the weather and matters of the day and I get a little tail wag if he is in agreement. I quite often get roped in to help my dear long suffering wife around the house — and this when an excuse to escape to the garden comes in handy — but not always!! Fortunately she has plenty of female friends who go to regular institutes and social gatherings which means I can watch or record all my favourite TV programmes, without interruption, including those from when comedy was king. (I understand the modern so called comedians run up and down the stage swearing and shouting and that the audience finds this hilarious,) If this is so then it shows how totally sad things really have become. Have I any regrets? Yes, quite a few, but you can only play the hand of cards that you have been dealt. My Dad said this to me shortly before he died, but I never fully realised it’s implication until very much later in life.