London

[smokingboot]

This is about London. London gave me a home for something in the realm of 19 years. London gave my mother a home and a job, when she was terrified of strangers, terrified of everything. When I was unemployed, London gave me the British Museum to wander around and dream in. London is not my home, because nowhere is - but London gave me a home, again and again, when I needed it, and wonderful friends. She fostered me well.

And there came a time when I studied her past, from St James' Park to Bedlam, from Whitechapel to the West End, from the remnants of mithraic temples in the City to the Guildhalls near the Temple itself. I had the dubious honour of the London Curse - approximately every 2 years, I was the victim of a petty theft/break-in - and the far less dubious honour of living among funny frenzied mad people, whose only times of restraint occurred between the hours of 8 - 9 am and 4-6 pm on weekdays on trains.

London is a very bolshy, very bloody-minded, downright bastardy old lady. She's been the greatest empress and the most despised whore; she's been scrubbing the floors of the rich since before Agincourt, and she's worn jewels from the furthest ends of the earth, she's been laughing and fighting, wheeling and dealing and spying and playing, drinking beer and stuffing her face, going hungry and dying ignored in the streets. All those things. Much more than those things.

She is BIG.

Pity the fool who tries to break her.

No more tears, no more. Tonight, I will drink beer in her honour. And I will enjoy it.

Comments

[itsjustaname.livejournal.com]

Lovely words. Almost let loose the tears I'm desperately holding back because I'm sat in an office.

I felt very similar on 11 September 2001 - you don't mess with New York.

And you don't mess with London.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Yes. Exactly.

I read your words and I don't think, 'That's the way I feel,' even though that is the way I feel, I think 'That's the way it is.'

*smiles*

[thru-her-lens.livejournal.com]

Very well said babe
xxx

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Cheers. And best of luck to you with your own stuff. Fingers crossed for you.