we live in a large block of ex-council owned flats. people round these parts seem to think this means it’s public property, and take it upon themselves to sit out front under the trees, drinking beer and strewing rubbish about. this irks me to no end, and no one else in the building seems to have a spine, so i find myself challenging people who seem to be “loitering”. this confrontation is a practiced but tiresome routine by now.

so when i popped home to check the post at lunchtime today and found a group of three 20-somethings having a picnic lunch in front of the building, i momentarily thought about letting it pass. but… i just couldn’t.

me: (wandering across the lawn) hi! do any of you live here?

girl1: um, um, er… actually, we just work around the corner.

me: okay, well, i’m not sure if you’re aware, but this is private property, not a public park. if you like, there’s a park just down there (points in direction of wandsworth common 5 min. down the road), or another park just down there (points in direction of tooting bec common, 5 min. in the opposite direction).

guy: oh, okay.

they continue eating. clearly waiting for me to leave so they can ignore the interruption and finish their sandwiches.

me: so, you know, feel free to move along.

they slowly start gathering their food together, flashing me dirty looks. girl2 mutters something under her breath.

guy: you know, that’s really pedantic of you. (rolls eyes)

me: actually, it’s not. people hang out here and throw rubbish around, and i *live here*.

guy: (heavy sarcasm) you don’t have to make up excuses, you know.

me: dude, i don’t have to justify myself to *you*. i pay rent here, you don’t. i don’t go to *your* house, plop myself in *your* front garden, and eat my lunch!

the cheek!! the sense of entitlement!! does nobody here have any sense of respect for people’s property?? what the fuck is wrong with people!?!

you know, people give new yorkers a lot of shit for being rude… but actually there is a finely honed set of social rules about what is and is not acceptable behaviour. you break the rules or show disrespect, and someone *will* confront you about it. here people seem to get away with murder because everyone is too fucking passive (or afraid) to challenge anyone.

london may be more outwardly civilised… but that doesn’t mean people are any more respectful or polite. i’m sick of it.

archers of loaf – harnessed in slums

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