Wednesday, September 1, 2010

244. When sitting on the sidelines is not enough


They go back a long way, to those final years of high school out in the fringe suburbs of this massive metropolis. The decision of others to leave school for the freedom of a regular wage, bound them more tightly together. Just fourteen of them thought that there must be more to life, the universe and everything than packing shelves at Permewans in Camden followed by the Royal Oaks on a Saturday night after an afternoon watching from some sideline somewhere.

Watchers on this far-removed sideline, see the camaraderie bubble over as flabby middle-aged bodies flow across the field, chasing and cajoling dreams. Instant gratification is not a quiver to their bow, time is on their side. They use their brain to gear up their capacity for hard work, working smarter, not just harder or longer. They are not into oysters, but if they were the world would be theirs.

5 comments:

Joan Elizabeth said...

There was something on the radio yesterday about what a great financial investment a university education is ... was thinking about what might have been if I had chosen not to do so.

Julie said...

When I was 15, I got dragged kicking into an office at high school when they realised I was leaving at the end of Third Form. Everyone else was, so I was too.

However, they talked me through the socially hard bits. There were 3 of us left from my little town - me and two boys. I have been a geek ever since.

Julie said...

I did not hear that on the radio but I did read it online last week sometime.

jabblog said...

We've swung too far in UK. Young people can graduate in almost anything, whether it's useful/adaptable or not. Graduates are having to work harder and use greater initiative even to ensure that their CVs are read. It's a life experience but it's unrealistic to expect or encourage all youngsters to apply to university.

Julie said...

Yes, I agree that university does not suit all. It suited one of mine but not the other. There is, though, a medium. Those who can should. Others should be offered trades training.