Saturday, May 09, 2009

You Don't Bring Me Flowers

Flowers grow and flowers die; people grow and people die. Sometimes flowers grow and are placed where people die and then suddenly the flowers are gone, not because they have died but because they've been taken away; the flowers are buried, not along with the people who died because they had died in times past, but wherever it is they bury flowers.

You might remember that, three years ago, two Thomson reps were knocked down and killed by the Delfin Azul in Puerto Alcúdia. There was a floral tribute laid once again this year. And then they came and took the flowers away. Why? Not all floral tributes are removed, or seem not to be. They are regularly to be seen on the treacherous bend on the coast road between Alcúdia and Puerto Pollensa where there have been too many accidents. But removed they were.

There is a little unease not just that the tribute was taken away but also because the driver of the car has now been released. He had been over the limit and had been speeding. Surely he should have received a heavier sentence, argue some. In mitigation, the victims were jaywalking. A minor crime means that a more serious one is dealt with less severely than it might have been. At least, that is a view being aired. I can sympathise, but I say nothing as to the appropriateness or otherwise of the time in jail. It was a shocking incident, but it is now three years distant. The young man who drove the car has served the time deemed adequate. Move on.

But they should have left the flowers where they were.

Just a thought - against the background of the demonstrations following the death of Gabriel Marquet, were floral tributes to be laid (and they would be in the same general area), would they be so swiftly disposed of? I don't know. Maybe they have been left and have been collected by the council disposal unit. Or maybe not or maybe would not be.


QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Pink Floyd, said to be about Syd Barrett and Roger Waters (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ9gUtyNmmE). Today's title - they do, though. Ah yea, lovely song. Who?

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