July 07, 2006

2 minutes silence in London We stood for 2 minutes, while the red buses stopped and the rain fell. Passing tourists wondered why we were all standing outside, then you saw the realisation on their faces. I'm currently working for The Tube, and many of my colleagues were involved last year. Everyone seems very calm.

I just wanted to post something about it, because last July was a heavy time for me. On 6th July, while being told by the doctor that my Dad had terminal cancer and would be bedridden if he survived, I heard the cheers go up as we won the Olympic bid. Then the next day I walked 4 miles home in the rain after the bombings. My Dad died on the 14th.

posted by muteboy 17 years ago
  • You must have gone through a pretty rough time last year, muteboy. Hope you're OK.
  • Our office was actually silent - a rare thing. *manly hug for muteboy*
  • Sad times, muteboy; I hope those to come are better.
  • Saying thus to some means nothing, saying thus to others leaves nothing to be said.
  • I'm sorry, muteboy. *hugs*
  • You mean to say you didn't need to engage in a non-stop five year orgy of flag-waving, anthem-spouting, overwrought memorial-building and general breast-beating to cope with a significant national tragedy? Oh you wacky Brits. (seriously, all good thoughts with you and everyone in London today)
  • Thank you all very much. I didn't mean this FPP to be about me, other than the fact that the attacks coincided with my loss. It's all over the news here, of course, with the continuing search for reasons and so on. briank, that was the weird thing - we did the flag-waving on the 6th about the Olympics, and it all stopped on the 7th. As for breast-beating, there was a certain amount of jaw-clenching, then we all had a cup of tea and a sit down. One item on Radio 4 last night that caught my ear was about this priest who lost her daughter in the attacks, & had to resign because she didn't feel able to forgive. She sounded very calm and resolute as she said, "I can't forgive yet. I would rather that energy go into preventing stuff like this." As for my Dad, my siblings and I just got through the last of the family home contents - retro slides here!
  • I'm sorry, muteboy.
  • v.sorry to hear that muteboy That Radio4 prog was v.moving, also there was a this documentary about the bomber, Khan. Apparently he was v.westernised as a kid, called himself "Sid" and brought back cowboy boots from a trip to the USA, which he loved. The supposed turning point was later-on when he went paintballing and found some 'fundie' friends. Shades of Bowling for Columbine.
  • .
  • i'm sorry for your loss, muteboy.
  • -lotsa hugs- .
  • Here's to better times, and to keeping those good memories always alive, muteboy.
  • Here's to that stiff upper lip I admire so much. I was there, and the difference between how the Brits dealt with it and how us Yanks freaked out was amazing. .
  • Hey Weezel, ya curly-haired pooftah! How the devil are ya? We like Yanks like you mate. In fact, we only do that 'stiff upper lip' thing to impress you lot.
  • . My thoughts are with you, muteboy
  • I echo the admiration of the seemingly instinctive British unflappability. However, how you guys put up with Tony Blair is beyond me.
  • We pretend he's not there. Like tigers in Africa.
  • Thoughts are with you, muteboy and all London monkeys.
  • Hugs to muteboy and London as a whole. .
  • It simply ain't emotional unless it's personal. Put up with the IRA for years, July 7th meant nothing to me personally, precisely because no one that counted to me personally was affected. Lots of people at Tavistock & Russell squares thought differently, perhaps. Start with crowds of people in black, then you see all the floral tributes, walking past you read names. I didn't I caught one name 'Gladys'. I thought I did anyway. Crappy name I reckoned. I also imagined it said 'Get Well Soon'. I almost laughed, you wouldn't. Then I thought people are still getting over it. Still getting well. Maybe 'Get Well Soon' made sense.
  • Last July I was midway through an opera festival at the Tower of London. There was no performance on the 7th, but the next day we went on. I remember flashboy's excellent comment, and the general surreal feeling in the crowded streets, walking home. muteboy, I'm so sorry.
  • Hugs to you muteboy.