The joy of ordinariness #114-115
Home
Home from my travels, I’m settling back into London life.
Local life
I’ve loved my travels. And I’m happy to be home. Grateful to be back in England. London. Hackney. Back in time to witness this week’s local and mayoral elections. No longer a two-horse race, a shakeup of our political system not seen in my lifetime. In Hackney, a Labour stronghold, we’ve gone Green. In Havering, a mere twelve miles away, they’ve gone Reform.
The perfect backdrop to today’s post contrasting my experience of an ordinary May, Friday night/Saturday morning, and the quiet and free ‘highs’ of living where I do.
Friday night with The Godfather
On Friday I went to see a classic at my local turn of the 20th century cinema, The Rio. Whilst not exactly ‘free’, The Rio has been a community-led charity since 1976.
My pick? The Godfather Part II in original 35mm film. I thought I’d seen it before, clearly my lack of recognition of any of it meaning I’d confused it with the original and Part III!
Introduced by Asif Kapadia, a Hackney born filmmaker, the near four-hour film (with an interval, just like old times) began. Part prequel, part sequel, it was the first film to bill itself as a ‘part two’, with outstanding performances by Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton, to name but a few.
The crackly, slightly jumpy film, with its strangled sound part way through, enhanced the depiction of the times, moving back and forth between early 1900s and late 1950s Sicily and New York, as we watch Michael Corleone grow into the family business.
So many themes relevant today – corruption, power over, violence, sycophantism and the ‘supporting’ roles, violence and judgement of and towards women.
An extraordinary film. Made even better by the enthusiasm of the youngish film boff I sat next to who told me of the art house cinemas he frequented, sharing our mutual dislike of large, soulless multiplexes.
We said our goodbyes and I wandered home. My gangster land evening taking on a lighter theme as I lapped up the relaxed fun and party nature of Dalston High Street; a melting pot of London’s diverse cultural, religious and LGBTQ+ communities.
Saturday morning joy
Saturday started with a cycle across my local park, Clissold, and around the Emirates stadium (can Arsenal do it this year?1) to the glamour of my local dump - or to call it by its correct name, Hornsey Recycling and Reuse Centre, technically Islington not Hackney - to deposit my load. How satisfying to finally dump those old clothes and shoes, too worn out to give to a charity shop, I’ve been meaning to ‘rag’ for months, you know the ones…
Buoyed by my dump trip, and eventually recovered from a tendon mishap last Autumn which I chose not to bore you with, I decided to do a slow trot around aforementioned Clissold Park.
I love my local park in all weathers, but on a sunny Saturday May morning, it’s a joy. By 1030 the park was buzzing with runners of all shapes, sizes, ages and speed. Some alone, some in gangs, proof that running has become the new dating for twenty/thirty somethings. Runners mingling with the dog walkers, toddlers and grunting boot campers. Londoners at play before indulging in one of the many barista coffee sheds and carts dispensing reassuringly expensive single origin coffees and pastries. The atmosphere topped off by the May fair readying itself for a midday opening and the food festival already partly open to the early crowds.
Perspective
As I strolled home, red faced and sweaty, I reflected on my good fortune; to have loved my time away, and feeling content and happy to be home. My mood in contrast to the news oozing with stories of discontent, dislocation, inequality, and division.
I’m not denying we have difficulties and challenges. Yet there are communities, here in Hackney and beyond, living in (relative) harmony, accepting each other’s difference, and just getting on with life.
Maybe I’m naïve. Maybe I’m seeing the world through rose tinted spectacles, my age and good fortune insulating me from reality. There may be some truth in that. But perhaps I’m also a realist who sees the difficulties the country is facing and instead choses to see the simple things that are working too.
You
As ever, I’m interested in you. What are the things you see or do in your local community that lift and inspire you? And, I must ask, have you seen The Godfather trilogy and if so, which is your favourite?
Grab yourself some popcorn and drop me a line, I’d love to hear from you.
And remember, you’re never going to be any younger than you are today, stop delaying that trip to the dump, you know how chuffed you’ll feel once you do 😉
Until next week my friends,
Ruth x
If my meanderings have sparked a thought for you, please do join the conversation, or why not leave me a ❤️, share or subscribe, thank you. You keep me writing.
Win the Premier League!
I love this. Maybe it’s just because I’m a helpless fanboy of your writing but this is one of the very few takes on/example of optimism that didn’t ring hollow or, worse, feel like denialism.
That’s so cool your constituency has gone Green. In the spirit of your post I will leave my political outlook there for now.
We are all fortunate to have each other. Fortunate to be able to remember, to learn - even for me I’m fortunate to be able to whine and be shamelessly cynical at times - privileges all, that are not granted to all, sadly.
We need to focus on the simple, ordinary pleasures that we enjoy on a daily basis to stop us being swallowed up with despair at some of the global issues around us. I love a day of just mooching around Hertford with it's dozens of coffee shops and busy shops.