Child security

I like the way kids have absolutely no insecurity over acting like prats, up to a certain age at least!

They say and do what they want, play silly games in public with no sign of embarasement even if they are being watched, talked about or sniggered at.

Then, we hit adolesance and suddenly it all goes tits. We worry about our image, our actions, not fitting in with the norm and all that jazz. Of course, some brave souls go against the norms and I SALUTE YOU. But most of us, to some extent or another conform constantly so as not to make ourselves stick out like a plum.

What made me think of this was whilst walking through Preston Park last evensong. A small boy was balancing along the wall by the sad looking bowling greens and singing a song that went something like this:

"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15"

I was impressed, he could count with the best of them. I slowed my pace as I thought I may be able to learn from this bright young thing.

"18,20,21,22,28"

So he slipped a bit, but the numbers were getting big, far beyond the comprehension of a young lad, I was not angered or upset. I figured I would see how he progressed...

"28, 39, 28, 39, 38, 28, 39, 29, 38, 29, 38, 29, 28, 29, 38, 39, 28, 39, 28, 39, 39, 28, 39, 28, 29, 38,29, 38!

And so he went on and on and on. Stuck in some kind of crazy maths feedback loop. It was very amusing and whats more it made quite a good tune as he maintained such a steady rhythem, the guy obviously had talent.

But what I thought was fair play child, you make rubbish songs out of numbers and you can't count, but it doens't enter your head that you might be making a fool of yourself (which obviously he wasn't), you just go about your business in your own little world.

If that was a teen, they would not have sung in public like that in the first place and certainly would have stopped if they had seen me!

The exception to this rule of older kids making a fool out of themselves and not caring is the might of the air guitar.

This is one of my favourate things to spot, its not that common, but if you pay attention you will see it more than you would think. The scene is teens and alike of the new young rock brigade. You know the sorts, very tight trousers, chequered daps and probably a black jumper or hoody. They walk along headphones in ears and dramatically air guitar in the street as the walk along! They are very detailed with their hand positions too, so obviously know what they are doing and practicing! Genius. Perhaps because its music related they can get away with it? If I air equationed in the street, everyone would think I was a crazed maths obsessed idiot! Which I am not.