Richmond Bridge

I've been crossing Richmond Bridge all my life.

Photo: Richmond Bridge by Chris Neale

My Mother moved here when she was ten, they lived in a flat over the shops, at the bottom of the bridge. 

My Nan, Irene Papworth, lived there, for the rest of her days.

My Uncle, my Aunt and my cousins, lived in the flat below my Nan's, and In 1982, having persuaded my Mum that it was in her best interest to separate from my Dad... I drove her, returning here, once more to Richmond. In April, after losing her partner, I also came here, as it was now my turn, to look out for her.

My Nan Irene, died in 1989. I sat with her, every evening for a week in the Princess Alice Hospice at Esher... until she finally, Crossed The Bridge.

Irene was a colourful character, well known and loved, locally. She was always giggling and could often be found, in the local pub, standing on a table singing! She was in service as a seamstress, in the early days... employed by the aristocracy, close to the Royal Family. She travelled the world with them to places like Egypt, I remember an ivory crocodile she returned with from there.

Years later, she worked for and was close to William Blezard and his family. Blezard, a talented pianist and composer was musical director to Noël Coward, Marlene Dietrich and Joyce Grenfell. He also later worked for the BBC... and my Nan even appeared once with Pookie Blezard, his daughter, on 'Play School', a popular BBC children's TV programme.

My Nan and Grandad's marriage ended when I was very young and although very popular with the gentlemen, Irene remained single having never found her true soul mate.

There's a tale about my Nan which really sums her up, which I shall now tell:

One day, towards the end of her life, Nan failed to arrive home. My Mum got a call from a worried neighbour, when she finally turned up, looking quite dishevelled, this conversation followed:

"Where were you last night then?" Mum enquired. Irene let out that infectious giggle of hers. 

Irene Papworth (née Monks) 1905-1989
Peace be with you.

"Well, I was in the pub... and I must have had a few too many"

"Yes?"

" ... and I was walking home, past the graveyard... and I fell in the hedge..." (more giggles).

" ... and I couldn't get out again!" 

"So, I thought bugger it, and stayed there for the night!"

My Nan, who was in her eighties, had spent the night in a hedge in the graveyard at Richmond... and was obviously, quite content to do so.

William Blezard Obituary

Love Hurts.

Today, I noticed a quote that is being attributed to well known British (Irish) actor Liam Neeson. It's not actually clear, whether in fact, Neeson said these words... but he may well have good cause, to say them.

In March, 2009 Liam Neeson tragically lost his wife, Natasha Richardson in a skiing accident at the Mont Tremblant ski resort in Canada; who died of a severe head injury. They had been married for just five years.

However, the origin is not important, the words are:

"Everyone says love hurts, but that is not true. Loneliness hurts. Rejection hurts. Losing someone hurts. Envy hurts. Everyone gets these things confused with love, but in reality love is the only thing in this world that covers up all pain and makes someone feel wonderful again. Love is the only thing in this world that does not hurt."

A Nod To The Nine.

No, The Americans Did Not Save Us... From The Nazis.

I recently noted a comment; that if it wasn't for the Americans... we in Great Britain would all have been speaking German.

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many
to so few." Winston Churchill.

The reason Hitler never invaded Great Britain was simply because, try as he might, and after throwing everything he had at us, he could not gain air superiority. 2,698 German aircrew died.

The Battle of Britain was our finest hour.

Between 10th July and 31st October 1940... The RAF (Royal Air Force), defended our great nation from the tyranny of fascism. 2,353 British pilots, fought alongside 574 pilots from the British Commonwealth and other nations.

544 RAF pilots lost their lives during the period of the Battle... for the duration of which, The United States of America, was officially neutral.

Nine brave Americans volunteered and took part and can be counted as belonging, to 'The Few'... to whom we are grateful.

Further Reading: The Nine Americans

The World Is A Bridge.

On the main gateway of The Buland Darwaza or the "Gate of Victory", (built in 1576 A.D. located 43 km from Agra, India) an Islamic inscription, written in Persian reads...

"Isa (Jesus), son of Mary (on whom be peace) said: 'The world is a Bridge, pass over it, but build no houses upon it. He who hopes for a day, may hope for eternity; but the World endures but an hour. Spend it in prayer for the rest is unseen.' "

You won't find it in any bible.

Further reading; The Buland Darwaza

It's All Relative.

Time here on Earth, solely relates to the fact that it takes our planet 24 hours to rotate once on it's axis. A child, has travelled 584 million miles or, once around the Sun, by the time he reaches his first birthday.

Moving at an average velocity of 514,500 miles per hour, it takes the Sun (dragging the Solar System along with it) about 230 million years, to make one complete orbit around the Milky Way... our Galaxy.

The Solar System, (the Sun, the Earth and the seven major planets) is 4,500 million years old... give or take a few hundred million years.

However, The Universe is 13.82 billion years old... and so far as we know, infinite?

So from The Universe's point of view, as far as our 'three score and ten' years are concerned... Jimi Hendrix was correct.

"The story of life is quicker than the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye".

This is Tara Hudson, she is beautiful.

She is also a guy. Tara, a 26 year old British transgender woman, was recently convicted and sent to prison for twelve weeks after admitting assault. Tara was sent to Her Majesty's Prison Bristol... an all-male prison.

140,000 people signed petitions, on her behalf, claiming that she had been placed in danger of sexual assault by Her Majesty's Government. Tara said in a BBC Radio interview, she was even put in a cell with an inmate, convicted of rape?

Tara had previously lost an appeal against her sentence, but the judge asked that consideration be given, as to where she served the remainder of her term. Fortunately for her, she was eventually moved.

I listened to Tara's interview, last week, on BBC Radio. Of course, the guys at work were laughing, especially when she stated that she was a bleached blonde, with very large augmented breasts. (She also said that she was bullied, into exposing them, for the warped gratification of her fellow inmates).

However, Tara also confirmed, to my relief, that not all of the male inmates abused her so. Some befriended her, helping her during her stay at HMP Bristol. To be honest, her story brought a tear to my eye... just from one human being to another.

And then, amidst the laughter and jeers... I smiled. I smiled because not many of you, realise this do you? We were all born female. Yep... you actually started out as a female. Dude.

Granted, you were conceived, as either male or female... but that wasn't fully determined until after five to six weeks passed by, during your stay, on the inside of your mom.

It is in fact, only then that the Y-chromosome, (male gene), arrives on the scene and takes over, imposing the attributes of a male. It then takes a further sixty days until testosterone kicks in, the hormone that starts the genetic activity in your balls and in the majority of cases, at least... your brain?

And for some strange reason, in the case of Tara Hudson (and many like her)... the dominant Y-chromosome simply refuses to activate, leaving the female attributes to persist in the body of a male.

Along my journey, crossing the bridge, I have often noticed this. Many of those, who shout the loudest, do so because they are not entirely sure of themselves in some way, or another? In my case however, I am entirely sure of myself, when I say this, to you...

This is Tara Hudson, she is beautiful.

Further reading: Why do men have nipples?

The Red Road and The Black Road.

Our local corner shop is one of those little shops that has everything in it... that you forgot to get at the super-store. It's run by a young British couple with Indian/Asian ancestors, they're there before I leave at 6-40 am. They're still there, last thing at night.

A few weeks back, someone started ripping out the double shop unit next to them. Spending a lot of money, cash point, new windows, shutters, bright red paint... tacky blue neon signs; 'Richmond Supermarket'. Man... imagine that double whammy? Sometimes life seems to conspire against you... on purpose.

Anyway, I hadn't been in to the store for a while (my memory has been behaving itself). Yesterday, I went in there for some stuff. I have never seen someone look at me, so gratefully? He thanked me for my custom and apologised for keeping me waiting... as he rushed out back to fetch some more tobacco. For which, there was no need.

It's the little guys... that get my backing every time in this life. Because I am, and I make no bones about it, a little guy too. They say the average millionaire has been bust, an average of 3.5 times, because only when you know failure, are you truly qualified to win.

However, many big guys never learn this. Inherited wealth, Bank of Mom and Dad, luck... whatever. These guys are on the 'Black Road'... the easy way, pushing everyone else out of their way, laughing out loud, but blind to the fact, they are lost... and will ultimately, end up, in darkness.

We're all walking. Crossing the 'bridge of life' but, there are two roads you can take? The Red Road... and the Black Road. Life is not meant to be easy, because when it is, you learn nothing about your self... on the inside.

"If you walk the Red Road you know that every sorrow leads to a better understanding. Every horror cannot be explained but can offer growth. To Walk the Red Road is to look for beauty in all things. To Walk the Red Road is to know you will one day cross to the Spirit World and you will be not afraid."

You can read more about The Red Road and The Black Road here: Walking The Red Road