I meet the general public a lot when I’m at work, actually if it wasn’t for the good old public I wouldn’t have a job at all. Today was one those days I actually enjoyed my work, when I had the pleasure of meeting an elderly lady maybe in her late seventies or early eighties. Once we got the usual introduction out of the way she started to discuss Barnsley’s new ‘£24 million’ bus station.
“What a monstrosity and such a waste of Barnsley peoples money that is, I wonder why they think we need it, lets face it we don’t have any shops left in Barnsley town centre and you have to walk a mile to get to the Alhambra Centre”.
I replied in my usual manner telling her “Barnsley is alright if you want a beer, kebab or a charity shop”.
“Bloody pound shops too, if my husband could see Barnsley now he would turn in his grave, what with all the industries that have closed and all the immigrants we have all around town”.
“It is becoming a big problem, both the lack of employment and the jobs that are there now pay minimum rates because the immigrants are willing to work for it, I’m not saying that Barnsley people wont”.
She interrupted me at that point and told me “No. I wouldn’t say that either but these people can afford to work on low wages because they get more help than local folk, with housing costs and all the other benefits they get. That’s another reason Barnsley town centre is so grim, all their money is sent home, very little is actually spent here”.
This was my chance “I don’t blame these people for trying to better themselves, it’s the government. I am totally dissatisfied with the so called labour government we have”.
“Labour? Labour? My late husband was a Labour Councillor in Barnsley for xx years! This so called labour government have done more harm to Barnsley than Maggie Thatcher did when she closed the Coal Mines, its just people can’t see it love”.
After a brief talk about her husband’s council years and putting the world to rights it was almost time to go our separate ways.
“You know son, you should really consider voting BNP next election, they are the only ones who make any sense these days”.
I smiled at her and said “I already do”.
She smiled back and that was the end of our little meeting, one very charming lady who I look forward to meeting again very soon.
“What a monstrosity and such a waste of Barnsley peoples money that is, I wonder why they think we need it, lets face it we don’t have any shops left in Barnsley town centre and you have to walk a mile to get to the Alhambra Centre”.
I replied in my usual manner telling her “Barnsley is alright if you want a beer, kebab or a charity shop”.
“Bloody pound shops too, if my husband could see Barnsley now he would turn in his grave, what with all the industries that have closed and all the immigrants we have all around town”.
“It is becoming a big problem, both the lack of employment and the jobs that are there now pay minimum rates because the immigrants are willing to work for it, I’m not saying that Barnsley people wont”.
She interrupted me at that point and told me “No. I wouldn’t say that either but these people can afford to work on low wages because they get more help than local folk, with housing costs and all the other benefits they get. That’s another reason Barnsley town centre is so grim, all their money is sent home, very little is actually spent here”.
This was my chance “I don’t blame these people for trying to better themselves, it’s the government. I am totally dissatisfied with the so called labour government we have”.
“Labour? Labour? My late husband was a Labour Councillor in Barnsley for xx years! This so called labour government have done more harm to Barnsley than Maggie Thatcher did when she closed the Coal Mines, its just people can’t see it love”.
After a brief talk about her husband’s council years and putting the world to rights it was almost time to go our separate ways.
“You know son, you should really consider voting BNP next election, they are the only ones who make any sense these days”.
I smiled at her and said “I already do”.
She smiled back and that was the end of our little meeting, one very charming lady who I look forward to meeting again very soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment