The Offensive - Thursday 22/09/11

Boy have I got the 'touch' today. I offended Kit's wife this morning and by complete fluke, his neighbour in the afternoon!

The mornings assignment was to clear 4 rows of willow so the digger could shape hedgebanks on the perimeter.

Nigel and Cassie, who's land borders Kit's lower field, denied their consent for the digger to drive on their land, and so the willows fate was sealed.

Readers may recall the days I spent on my tod planting row after row of willow during Kits absence. I singlehandedly doubled the willow coppice. Since then, I have watched three to four of those fledgling rows be annihilated by the tractors when they cut the grass. Now, today, I was required to cut more down, at the wrong time of year, so some earth could be pushed and piled. A truly needless sacrifice. This job did not need doing and definitely not before November.

My first offence occurred when, after I had cut down the four 50m odd rows of willow, Saara asked if I would be happy to go back, root amongst the grass and cut every stump again to ground level. I was truthful but reserved when I replied “Not particularly, No”. She grabbed the loppers from my hand without a word and disappeared to the opposite end of the field. When our paths next crossed and I asked if she had taken offence, I got “I'll talk to you later” in reply.

I explained myself to Kit (a man should be warned when you've upset his wife!) who I don't think really got the meaning but he did his best to understand for which I am grateful.

Strike Two occurred as I was splitting logs. Nigel materialised and was visibly upset. Seething with anger is more accurate, and by God did he let rip. I was accused of all sorts of wild allegations including cowardice, bad parenting and spreading of bad karma. Based on second hand information and presumptions, all were in relation to our dispute with the leisure centre. His cowardice allegation was negated when I revealed that his wife had called me on the day in question and it was I who had resolved the matter by talking direct to the troublemakers. His eyes flickered at this, betraying his ignorance of important and rather key facts. The rest of his speech consisted of perceptions and opinions. I cannot argue those no matter how ridiculously inaccurate they may be.

This is not the first time he has erupted, and I am sure it will not be the last. I find this emotional outburst crap very juvenile and I attribute my repeated successful pacification of them partly to be down to the fact I deal with kids every day. Some, evidently, much bigger and older than others...

The millpond reflected an image back to me. It was no less real than the objects portrayed within it.

A ripple spread across the surface and the image was distorted.

I pondered this. All the world is a reflection, made real by us. Our lives have ripples in them that distort our perceptions.

Ripples can be created no matter how still we are. The key, I think, is to look past the ripple to see the image that continues to exist above and beneath.

What the Willow Died for...