I think I must be older than my age.
There have been a few incidents recently where [tag]kids[/tag] have showed a remarkable lack of [tag]respect[/tag].
Now I know I haven’t done anything which deserves awe, but I grew up treating all people as neutral until I had a reason otherwise.
- I was walking with my girlfriend to the shop and passed a group of kids at a cross-road. Naturally I didn’t want to get hit by traffic, and so I looked both ways. The kid who was standing in my eye-line, happens to live opposite us, and currently has his leg in plaster, decides that I was looking at him. Actually I was: I was going to nod hello to my neighbour.
Of course(!), he asks me “what you lookin’ at?”. And when I’m taken aback by this, he says it again. And then throws stones when we’re out of ear shot. - Next day we’re making the same journey, and a car is approaching us as we’re starting to cross the cross-road. I make a habit of looking at the driver (preferably making eye-contact) simply to make sure they’ve seen me, I also tend to look at the indicators. The driver is on his mobile and, presumably feeling guilty, winds the window down and tell me to “fuck off”.
- Tonight some kids who live in the house behind ours throw some squidgy fruit into our yard. Not knowing at that point where it came from I have a look out the window. The kids see me and duck (though not far enough). So, trying to work to ‘the rules’ I simply shut the curtains. Squidgy fruit turns into gravel and chips of mortar. The target is now the window.
What the hell do these kids get out of these situations?!
It simply wouldn’t have crossed my mind to act like that when “I were a lad”.
I struggle with this [tag]mentality[/tag]. Are they happy to be like this?
Is this just what happens in cities?
I don’t know if that is the reason, but my kids won’t be growing up in one.
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