Sunday Nation
Date: 14.08.2016
Page 37
Article size: 338 cm2
ColumnCM: 75.11
AVE: 162240.0
Shock and turmoil, fearfor thefuture,
but despite it all, civil peace reigns in UK
The summer of 2016 is prov­
ing the most tumultuous
this country has known for
decades. A nationwide referendum
narrowly decided that we should
leave the European Union, and one
Racist chants at football matches
What puzzles me is why these
are a thing of the past, avowedly
xenophobic groups like the Brit­
ish National Party have virtually
withered away, and just last May,
lovelorn hearts don't make their
Sadiq Khan, a British­born Asian,
received an unprecedented one
result of this is that Scotland may
decide to leave the United King­
million votes as the new Mayor of
dom.
If a nation can undergo political
change of earthquake proportions
and nobody fears for his personal
safety, well, that's something to be
The defeated prime minister re­
signed and another took his place,
purging his aides as she did so.
The opposition Labour party split
wide open after electing a leader
who is not supported by many of
his own party's MPs.
Police reports said the forth­
coming severance from Europe
prompted a sharp rise in hate
crimes by emboldened racists.
Worst of all, a Labour MP, Jo
Cox, was murdered after a po­
litical meeting, apparently by a
man shouting the rightist slogan,
"Britain First." The pound sterling
dropped like a stone and some
big foreign companies expressed
doubts about their continued in­
vestment in the UK.
So, huge headlines, accusations,
recriminations and predictions of
doom ... not the sort of thing we
like to see here in Britain, at least
not all at once. But haijg on. It's
not Armageddon, either.
With the tragic exception of Ms
Cox, not a drop of blood was shed
over these dramatic weeks, our
streets were not filled with riot­
ers, no state of emergency was
pronounced, the military were not
placed on alert, nobody went on
strike and the change in govern­
ment leadership was conducted
according to constitutional re­
London.
thankful for in this violent, intoler­
ant world.
Judging by a column titled "Rush
Hour Crush," which appears in
Talking of commuting and civil
peace, I walked through our sta­
tion recently and heard some fine
piano playing. Against a wall stood
a piano with the notice, "Play a
Tune for the Town." Anybody can
lift the lid and play at will. Now
that's nice. And so far, nobody has
tried to steal the piano.
Single man: What is the best
month to get married? Married
commuter world is full of frus­
man: Octembruary. Single man:
trated lovers. A fellow spots a girl
Don't be silly, there is no such
on the Tube or a girl spots a young month. Married man: Exactly!
man on a station platform, pulses
Girl: Do you have a house?
quicken and hearts pound, then
Boy: No, but... Girl: Do you have a
poufff, the chance has gone.
BMW? Boy: No, but... Girl: How
The rueful travellers then write
much is your salary? Boy: I don't
to Metro in a desperate effort to
have a salary, but... Girl: Forget it!
get back in touch.
I'm not going to marry a pauper.
Here are a few recent entries:
Boy, sighing as he watches her
To the guy I spoke to about wi­
retreating back, But... I have three
fi names on the way to Coventry.
villas, a Ferrari and a Porsche and
Fancy another wi­fi encounter over I don't take a salary because I own
drinks? From Wi­Fi Geek, Coven­
the company...
try.
Beautiful Nigerian lady from
[email protected]
Romford who I sat next to on the
Jubilee line. I said keep looking
in the Metro. Please reply. From
Lagos Veteran.
Amazing lady in a black top,
dark blue jeans and brown shoes
reading a book on the District line
on Thursday at 10.15 Pm­ Fancy a
drink some time? From Black Guy
in Brown Cap.
Tall, dark­haired guy with the
wicked smile waiting for the 11.55
Compare this to, say, Turkey,
where an attempt to change gov­
ernment by force cost 265 lives
pm train from London Victoria to
job dismissals in a brutal response
of revenge and repression.
especially Hunky Guy in Shorts
who sees the love of his life every
day!
the national free paper, Metro, the
quirements.
and led to thousands of arrests and
pitch when they have the chance,
Orpington on Wednesday, I am
the girl in the black skater dress
who you nearly walked into twice.
Maybe we could be wicked to­
gether some time. Fancy a drink?
It cannot be contested that some
From Musical Lover.
in Britain's under­class demon­
strated their hatred for foreigners,
but there was no mosque­burn­
ing as in France, mainly shouted
insults at people on the bus and
graffiti on Polish social centres.
Slim, Eastern European girl with
dark hair tied up on the 5.47 am
every day from Sutton to Balham,
you are gorgeous. How about din­
ner? From Hunky Guy in Shorts.
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya