Note before: This is an old “Diary Entry” from the Modem-Help site, re-jigged into the etmg format. The original site is now long gone.
The fact that much slog ‘n’ labour has got me several hundred chipsets entered in to the database for the new site will doubtless bore you stupid (doing it bores me stupid), so here is today’s tale of human life...
I currently work a twilight shift into the wee hours of the morning, so frequently get to bed very late & drag myself into conciousness sometime in the afternoon. Today it was a matter of being shocked awake from semi-conciousness by loud kicking from below my window. A youth of 20 or so years old was attempting to force an entry through my home’s (rear) kitchen door with his foot. After 15 seconds of only partial success he gave up & left.
By now I was fully awake & sitting up in bed, and got a good look at him & his grey bobble hat (without the bobble - there must be a proper word for this - but with a distinctive logo). I’ll be keeping a good lookout for this character in the weeks to come. I then made the mistake of phoning the police, rather than chasing after the lad.
The police were phoned at 3pm. 2 hours later they had not arrived. I phoned the local station. 2 hours after this they finally turned up. Domestic incidents have a very, very low priority in England. The police might well want to do better - the male bobby suggested I contact my local MP, since they desperately want more bobbies on the beat - but the chances of catching anybody is almost zero. I’ve lived at my address for over 15 years and have had more than a score of these kinds of incidents. The police have never apprehended one single person for any of these crimes, and I’m sure that they never directly investigated a single one. I’ve spent something like £5,000 GBP replacing all my windows & doors in an attempt to secure my home. I was horrified to discover that 15 seconds of kicking by a lad almost demolished a £1,000 GBP door. At least it did hold, but only just.
So, a day’s wages lost, another £1,000 GBP to replace a door, indifference from the authorities. More small tales of 21st Century life. And this is called civilisation.
--------- Alex Kemp