A woman comes in, sits down, lifts her blue shirt and starts breastfeeding the newborn she's holding. An older woman, sitting behind her with a shopping bag on her legs, gives an approving smile. A bunch of teenagers, standing in the middle of the bus with their instrument, start laughing awkwardly. Three guys from the same office stare at her. The athletic driver makes up his mind to go and ask her to cover up. She gets upset and tell him that breastfeeding is permitted in public places. He strongly advise her to do as requested. She threatens to sue the bus company on the ground that it is a breach of her Human right.
The tiny woman is upset. She doesn't notice the blond girl behind her reading her paper back book. The English student was stopped by the raised voices and is now wondering. "What makes breastfeeding more natural than being naked ? Why can't we get naked in the bus claiming that it's our Human right ? Why is it ok to show your breast on the beach or in the park but not in the street ? The German would surely be happy!" She then notices the tall brown guy lurching at the animated woman and turns back to her book.
He brushes the sandwiches' crunches of his shirt and whisper to this mates:
-"I bet she goes to unisex gym and swimming pool. Wouldn't want some perves like us to check out her butt in the mirror when she does her exercises but doesn't mind showing her boobs in the bus!" The group starts laughing.
-"Come on guys, this is a beautiful mother-son bonding" sarcastically points out a handsome red haired man in a brown suit before adding, "gosh I wish I could suck her tits too!".
Behind them, a couple is still very sleepy from their house warming party last night. The woman's head is set steadily on her husband's shoulder. She doesn't like all this. She doesn't like seeing the woman breast, she doesn't even like people putting make up or cutting their nails in the bus so breastfeeding! She looks at her other half and can see he shares her thought. "Is there no more sense of privacy ? Where is the boundary between liberty and respect of other people's discomfort ?"
The bus stops, the mother stands up and walks out. She can feel the eyes following her every steps but doesn't care. Her baby is fed and happy and that's what matters.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/humiliated-mother-forced-off-bus-for-breastfeeding-1910528.html
5 September 2010
7 August 2010
The Squirrel Eater Family
-"What we having tonight mum?" At the sound of the little voice, Miranda standing in the Kitchen, a red apron tied around her waist, turns around.
-"Squirrel with roast potatoes". John's face immediately lights up into a giant smile.-"Cool love it!"
-"Well, I can tell you a story about it" she says bending down so her face nearly touches his. "Years ago, people got very upset when a shop decided to sell Squirrel meat in North London." The kid looks at her with clear doubt.
-"Why's that? It's good!"
-"Yes it is" she agreed standing up again, "but some people thought it was very mean to kill the little squirrels. So does Dad, he still can't eat them.."
-"That's right Dad? I thought you were allergic!"asks John as a slim figure comes through the white, freshly painted, door.
-"Well kiddo, I'm not. I think we should leave squirrels alone".
-"But Mrs Brown says there are too many brown squirrels and they destroy the habitat of the red ones and that's why we kill them to protect the red ones, does she lies ?" asks the child his brown eyes eager to stand up for his favourite teacher.
-"No, not completely. But we eat them because a shop owner has decided that'd be good advertisement. Not really to help the red ones." explained the husky voice.
-"But Daddy knows it is always better to kill two birds with one stone" added Miranda with a teasing smile.
-"Or two squirrels".
-"Don't' be sarcastic Trevor!" she orders, knowing it was a helpless cause.
-"Well don't accept false excuses and I won't be" he replies, returning the teasing smile
-"Jonathan, why don't you ask Daddy why he doesn't mind us eating beef, lamb, fish, goose and so on?". Miranda was now preparing the salad, taking the brown leaves out of the bowl.
-"Why don't you mind us eating beef, lamb, fish, goose and so on Daddy?" obediently repeats the little boy.
-"Because they're the usual suspects and they are enough of them already to feed us. We don't need to eat weird stuff like the Chinese" defends Trevor, putting the blue plates on the wooden table.
-"Daddy is turning into a racist, don't listen to him darling." sarcastically commented Miranda, now adding the sauce she had just finished to prepare.
-"But seriously, do we need to eat squirrel ?" insists Trevor, grabbing John's little red plastic cup from his hand.
-"I don't know ask the Peruvian if they need to eat guinea pigs and the French if they need to eat frogs, snails or horse. And I'm sure Indians would like to know why we needs to eat beef. Who gets to decide which animals we should or should not eat ? Are squirrels safe because they are cute ? Shall we eat only ugly animals ? What is the rule ? Tell me. Because as far as I am concerned, any dead meet is good to eat". Points out Miranda, whipping her hands on her apron before undoing the tie.
-"Would you eat me dead?" teases Trevor, looking at their reflection on the back window behind his wife.
-"If you keep on being irrational I might have to! But I'll try not to unless we crash in the Andes." laughs Miranda before kissing his soft skin, darker than hers.
-"So are we having squirrels mummy ?" checks Jonathan, ready to grab his matching plate and fork.
-"Yes, with some ugly chicken for your daddy because as much as we can choose to eat it, he can refuse to eat it and we should always respect other people's choice." Concluded Miranda sitting in front of Trevor, next to Jonathan. "Enjoy your meal".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-10805570
30 July 2010
The Proud Father
He wears a big smile on his face and behind his glasses are proud, watering eyes. The feeling is overwhelming. He holds his wife's tiny hands to steady his tall body up. His legs are shaking and his heart pounding. I wonder how it feels to be there. Standing on the side of a stage with your wife. Looking at your child, now an adult, a musician playing in front hundreds.
His eyes run over the crowd and his head tries to absorb the scene. He thinks about how he got there. The images are flooding in his head. Winter 1979. A scream. Joel's tiny pink hand reaching for his. The little red drums that didn't catch the kid's attention. The spark as the 6 years old holds a guitar. All those nights where Carey, Tim and Stephen would come over to the house in Dartford and listen endlessly to Blur, The Flaming Lips, Radiohead, Grandaddy, Oasis, Graham Coxon etc...The teenager, working with the youth group, writing and singing his songs. The creation of the band, practicing and recording at the Bear. The American tour. Joel sitting, his blue eyes set on the last edition of National Geographic.
He was supportive of the boys, never doubting even when he was worried. It wasn't long before people started seeing what he had seen years ago. How brilliant was his son. How the music was glowing in him. Two platinum albums, the Ivor Novello Award. Not bad. Not bad at all.
His hands slide over his face and feel the wrinkles. There has been hard times to. For his family, his grandchildren, for the band. But those kids are driven. They take the strength from their lows and turn it into highs.
He smiles as Carey puts his bass down to take a picture. Now is the big moment. Time to sing. "What a great way to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary" thinks The Proud Father. When the music starts, Joel's melancholic voice takes him to the sky. From above, he sees the stage set in the garden of the Old Royal Naval College; the other choir members also dressed as pirates; the boys playing happily; his son, standing beautifully in the middle of the stage, singing along with the crowd. What a great way to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary indeed.
In 10 years ? The Proud Father may be celebrating again on stage or he'll be enjoying a quite moment with his family, who knows ?
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