She lived in a tiny cottage and he remembers it as being like stepping back at least two centuries. It was one of those stone cottages with an alcove bed in the kitchen, a range and outdoor toilet.
J and his three sisters would ride their lilos down the rapids and J would disappear up river towards Barnard Castle without seeing a soul all day. His parents never worried.
We were down there today. There are safety warnings, life preservers and keep out notices everywhere. He was a bit disillusioned.
It's still beautiful, though the currents look too dangerous for lilo racing.
"Would you let j surf down there on a lilo?' I ask.
"No."
"Would you let him wander off into that forest alone?"
"He's 6ft 2 and a big bloke!"
"Well, yes, but when he was younger...?"
"No."
Is the world actually different or is it us?
1 comment:
It's both. I don't know about creeks & rivers & such, but I know my kids had to deal with things I didn't. And we're more aware of some dangers than our parents were. Probably all the media exposure.
Post a Comment