Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: barryfoote on August 18, 2011, 05:39:09 pm

Title: A sombre thought on a Summers afternoon...
Post by: barryfoote on August 18, 2011, 05:39:09 pm
I received these words from my father via email. I am sure he won't mind me telling you all he is 78 years young. So much truth....


 Last week we went, Marie and I, to Burnsall which is in Wharfedale and part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  The sun shone, the river Wharfe ran dark with peat from the Western fells, and the dale was cheerfully alive with day trippers and holidaymakers.

   We walked along the river for a mile or so to where it broadens, with deep, calm stretches beloved of fly fishers in search of trout.  It was here that we once watched a delightful event involving a duck and some ducklings, a small occurrence which has stayed with us ever since.  Last week we remarked on it again .  We recalled seeing a lone lady Mallard duck swimming sedately down river, a lone escort to a whole flotilla of very tiny ducklings, mere balls of feathers. (Is there an accepted collective noun for ducklings?  Probably not; anyway, this was certainly a flotilla)  There were about eight to twelve of these little creatures paddling hard under the watchful eye of their kindly guardian.  But, there was one missing.  Eighty feet away across the river, perilously close to the far bank, was another duckling, obviously having strayed wilfully rather than with mere carelessness.  The lady duck’s quacks towards it became loud and insistent.  The miscreant either failed or chose not to hear.  If a Mallard can sound apoplectic, this one of ours did.  She fairly quacked with rage.  Eventually, the little creature responded and, while the whole party waited, swam as quickly as he was able towards them.  No sooner had he (it had to be a boy) arrived than the indignant lady duck snatched him up bodily and plunged him beneath the water where she shook him violently back and forth. As the little fellow bobbed to the surface, she grabbed him again and gave him another hard dose of the same treatment. The whole group then continued sedately down the river with the misbehaving one apparently none the worse but undoubtedly somewhat wiser.

  As we walked on, I  considered, not for the first time, that the creatures of nature do not just care for their young, they discipline them.  There is a notable exception: Western industrialised homo sapiens.  I know that is an outrageous generalisation, but there is truth in it.  For the last fifty years we have lost sight of the fact that our young need not just essential love and care but discipline, to teach them respect for others and what is good behaviour and what is not.  In a minority of our homes boys below their teen years are the bosses, lone mothers having given up the struggle. In our schools young louts cause disruption and fear whilst any teacher putting a hand on one of them risks the loss of his livelihood and even his freedom.  I know that there exist decent young folk, many of them, but the anti-social element has increased hugely. I am very much on the side of our lady duck.

  As we strolled along amid cheery hellos from those we met, I reflected what friendly, kindly people most of my fellow countrymen are.  What I did not know was that on that very afternoon louts were BlackBerrying (what a harmless pursuit blackberrying was in my day) and Tweeting and Twittering (budgerigar-speak?) to encourage more of their kind to engage in riots in London.  What followed over the next few days was society coming face to face with the results of decades of loss of authority in the family, schools, and within the community as a whole.

  For years our politicians have ducked taking a stronger line.  They should take their cue from our Wharfedale duck.  Give ‘em a good scragging and serve ‘em right!
Title: Re: A sombre thought on a Summers afternoon...
Post by: jimmy2310 on August 18, 2011, 05:55:38 pm
Never a truer word written.

Jimmy
Title: Re: A sombre thought on a Summers afternoon...
Post by: pettyofficernick on August 18, 2011, 06:05:40 pm
Well said that man! Incidentally, the collective noun for ducks(on water) is a raft of ducks or a paddling of ducks. (source- wikipedia)  :-)) :-)) :-))
Title: Re: A sombre thought on a Summers afternoon...
Post by: dave301bounty on August 18, 2011, 09:08:54 pm
That should be read out in parliment ,and explained ,thanks for a truly nice experience shared .
Title: Re: A sombre thought on a Summers afternoon...
Post by: Ade the Blade on August 18, 2011, 09:37:32 pm
A great story and told so well hats off to you sir.
Title: Re: A sombre thought on a Summers afternoon...
Post by: Patrick Henry on August 19, 2011, 07:32:21 am
Excellent tale Barry...sort of sums things up in one hit.



Rich
Title: Re: A sombre thought on a Summers afternoon...
Post by: Peter Fitness on August 20, 2011, 12:17:20 am
Barry the Philosopher  :-))

Extremely well put, and absolutely true O0

Society is now reaping the results of allowing the little dears to do what they like and "express themselves", whatever that means. Many of the current generation of parents, (but not all of them, I hasten to add) were among the first to be raised under the more "liberal" system where discipline as we knew it was almost non existent. We are now seeing the products of that system where many of that generation's children have absolutely no respect for the law, person or property.

The one bright spot is that there are still many modern parents who continue to adhere to generally accepted (by the older generation, at least) societal values. However, we don't hear much about them because it seems that only bad news sells papers, or makes it on to the TV news bulletins.

I'm often called old fashioned, which is probably true....because I'm old {-)

Peter.
Title: Re: A sombre thought on a Summers afternoon...
Post by: oldiron on August 20, 2011, 01:26:28 am
Peter and Barry, truer words were never spoken. I fear it may only get worse before it gets better.

John
Title: Re: A sombre thought on a Summers afternoon...
Post by: barryfoote on August 20, 2011, 07:54:07 am
John,

That is very true. It has been getting worse for years and with no signs of it changing.. :((
Title: Re: A sombre thought on a Summers afternoon...
Post by: derekwarner on August 20, 2011, 08:12:46 am
........& Peter says...."I'm often called old fashioned, which is probably true....because I'm old"

Sorry........ but I do not necessarily agree with this Peter........ {:-{...we are certainly older ...but I also suggest wiser   :-)) which provides our ability to view & reflect on the crock of laws & revised social concepts forced down our collective necks for the past 25 years  <*< >>:-( ................. Derek