Weston Park Brings Back Memories For Alfred N Muggins

18/11/22

     Alfred goes to the famous Park in his home city, walking the dog, as usual, but what better way to explore the past and present of your own city than in the company of your best canine friend. He says it is an exploration of past as well as present because every step he takes is one which he has taken before, many times, particularly in recent times (the last 20 years!), but also in past times (previous to the last 20 years!).

     When he looks at the rhododendron bushes he does not just see the clipped back and PC safe bushes of today, but also the overgrown bushes of his youth and yesteryear, where as a child he remembers exploring with his sister. You could hide in there, and parents might have to come looking for you if you stayed in for long enough. There was no chance of that now. (In days gone by you could have had a pee in there, but there is absolutely no chance of that now, unless it was at night, although parks could be dangerous places at night if the wrong people wait there! Not this one particularly, he doesn’t suppose, but you never know do you.

    There is the museum, and art gallery, where he and other friends sometimes went from school at lunchtimes, not so far away, during sixth form years! Difficult to remember all the paintings over those years, the memories fade. One friend did an oil painting of a favourite songwriter and guitarist. That should be hung in here, but never was of course. It was on his wall at his mother’s house where he continued to live through the 1980’s and much of the 1990’s. Alfred cannot go inside the museum and art gallery because he has the dog with him, but the memories of previous visits are still there, if incomplete!

     The redbrick university building, which he did not attend himself, although he did go to a different university once, in a different town/city, not so far away in reality. Similar ground, similar experience. He knows what the student life is. He has lived there, although he remains unsure whether it really helped his career very much as he never really found a career in which he could be successful, and has spent most of his time being a lot less of a success than graduates are supposed to be. Even so it helped to make him whatever he is today, and create the knowledge and experiences which have made him what he is today. In reality, as he has often said, he is none the wiser about what career path he should have taken, and if he had to do it all again he still wouldn’t know what he should do!

     Have they got any work for him which does relate to his interests? No it seems not. We can only do the jobs which others have designed for us.

     He remembers a charity concert taking place in the redbrick university building, in which he helped on the committee which planned it, and helped to usher, sell tickets and collect money. It was a great concert, involving many homegrown, and local acts, musicians and choirs. That was the only time he ever went in that building, and it was around thirty years before. A great turnout for mature generations, many of whom have already gone now. Much money was raised! Going to help those in need in many countries around the world.

    He passes the War Memorial, every town, every village of a certain size has one! So sad, but they must be remembered. They should have all survived and lived full lives instead of sacrifice for Nation, Empire and relative Freedoms, but in history, as in present conflict, not every ruler follows rules of common sense, decency and humanity, and at some point they have to be fought!

    Past the Bandstand, which bands ever play in the Park today? Not very often! But we all still love our varied music

!

    Over or around the Duckpond, but the Bridge is closed! Perhaps someone slipped on it and it’s now unsafe, and we do have to go around.

    How many generations of students, school pupils have been here over the years and called the park their own? There are views of Sheffield to the North and even the South, from this Park on a hill.

    Why does the day fade? He felt energized when he came out of the park and home in the brightness of the late morning, after days or deluge and rain.  He was going to write it all down and do a new piece. It would write itself. Chuck it on computer or paper, and let it write itself and sort itself out. He would be the conduit of memories past and present.