I wonder what really does the most damage in the village. a few kids in hoods hanging around the bus shelter and occasionally getting a bit lairy, or the incessant rumble of the rumour and gossip machine.
The gosip machine is always at work, Nost of the time its like background noise that no one takes much notice of, but at times of stress and tension it can become destructive. None of us are innocent of occasionally fuelling the machine but some people seem to almost make it a profession. Tese are usually the obsessional curtain twitchers, the over judgemental, those with little else to fill there time and those who my late wife used to describe as 'The know all's who know F**k all'. Nost of then are essentially, 'sleekit', to use a good scots word and are expert at presenting a smiling face whuke preparing to stab victims in the back.
Silverton has its fair share of these people, nut rather then hanging out at the bus shelter they can be found around certain pubs and shops. They dont get dispersal orders and are usually immune from any sanction at all. This is the dark side of the word'community'. but as much a part of village life as the Street Market, the Twinning Committee or the Drama Group. In this respect, Silverton is no different from any other village or, indeed any other human community since homo sapiens walked off the plains of Africa. unpleasent as it all is, it is as impossible to wish away as old age and death.
No comments:
Post a Comment