Saturday, December 26, 2009

A tale for the New Year

It’s been a while since I updated the blog. I don’t usually miss at least one post in a month but November fell by the wayside. Things are in a bit of a pre season lull at the moment in my place and I am feeling like a spare tic at a neurologists wedding. I have been away from the fray of the usual day to day grind for over a year now and strangely I am missing it. At some point I will probably make a move back in to the field and kick start my aspirations to step a rank up before retirement rears its head.
We have lost a number of colleagues over the last year, both in the UK and also colleagues elsewhere such as America whose loss has been eloquently dealt with by other bloggers.
2010 is going to be the first of a few difficult years for police and the public sector generally. What with the handwringing following the G20 and the potential social unrest if the economy nosedives. The very least we are going to face is radical cutbacks in public expenditure.

Any way I thought I’d try a Festive posting to see the year off

The Three Wise Men

The streets of the city were thronged and the taverns bulged with the masses as they converged to celebrate the worship of false gods. The open places spilled with the numbers drawn from afar.....

The shepherd is called in with many others from the outlying hills to assist in watching the flock and to deter the beasts who prey and run amok.

And from those streets he doth catch a beast who roared and brayed and spat and spoketh with the foulest of tongue and it was dragged to the citadel and whilst awaiting admission at the Gate it doth spill green bile upon the floor.

And it was bad.

And the shepherd having cleaned this up he spoke with the guardian on the desk by the Gate and was told to seek refuge to put his words to paper.

But the citadel is full and at each room as he was turned away as there was no more space.

But then he seeketh the third floor where liveth the 9-5 tribe who lock their rooms to prevent those shepherds from knowing what they do. But a door remained unlocked and he sought sanctuary and it was safe and warm and quiet.

He sat with his fourth cup of broth and began to write and tell his tale of his dealing with the beast. He knew he had to put his words in great detail so that the soothsayers at the Temple shall not mock and tear it asunder.

His eyes were drawn to the night sky and a there was a light so bright that it filled the room. He looked but then it was gone. He thought it must be that flying angel that doth watch the crowds from above, that seeketh the beasts and chaseth them from above and along their roads to hell.

He settled and began to write again.

But the air fell silent briefly and then he heard a knock at the door and in strode
3 men whose shoulders bore so many stars that they blazed in the night lights.The shepherd was tired and rubbed his eyes . Could it be the wise men that Shepherds had talked of for millennia. Leaders that shall lead him and his fellow shepherds and provide actions that will be bold, show common sense and be fair?........

The one who’s shoulders bore the most stars approached him.

‘We bring words and instruction from afar to be brought to your table and those of others. This is for your consumption, but there shall be no alternative and thou all shall eat’

‘What words would they be Sir?’ asked the shepherd

‘They are called the 5 p’s so take time and listen to me....’

‘The first shall be called Presence. It has been decreed that shepherds are getting too comfortable and are walking the hills in pairs and that there are now more flock to watch and there are more beasts who stalk, so thou shalt walk alone. Though the sages have considered the fears that in some hills the beast doth roam in packs thou shall be allowed to walk either side of the valley and be able to call for help and pray that the beast doth not prevail before help arrives. The sages did try to bring in Community Shepherds but the beast doth mock and they can only call to the sky for help and wait. ‘

‘The second is shall be called Performance. It has been decreed that shepherds whilst walking the valleys and the hills shall bring as many beasts to the Citadel as they can. Those numbers will be awarded tokens which shalt bring reward to others. ‘

‘The third shall be Productivity. It has been decreed that the shepherds will do more with less . This will mean changes . Such that though the shepherds shall seek regular respite in the arms of their family thou can be called back to the hills again, with little succour ‘

‘The fourth and fifth words are Pride and professionalism......’

‘But Sir I bear these words with me every day .....and we shepherds walk the hills and wallow in the filth of others......’

But the man continued.....

‘It has been decreed and so it shall be done...... for if not followed there shall be further thunder from the NSY and there will be more paper adorning the walls of each citadel’

The mans eyes blazed and his cheeks glowed as he spoke with fervour and the others behind him swayed and clasped their hands in rapture for they knew that to fail to believe in these words would mean the golden ladders in the house of the Kingdom would fall away and they would be left without.

The shepherd sighed as he knew his words were lost and unheeded and as the man continued with his sermon he drifted of as it continued . And like much else that doth bellow from above it soundeth like the trumpet of Gabriel pressed against the orifice to which the Testaments do not refer.

The shepherd shook his head and realised the three men had gone .He sighed again and completed his work.

As he walked the corridors of the Citadel to present his words to the keeper of the Gate he considered the coming year. He knew that when the hordes bay at the gate of the City, he and his fellow shepherds would stand firm, though their words and deeds shall come under scrutiny, the beast shall not prevail.

As he squares his shoulders and prepares to face the night again He mutters to himself ‘ There will be no Gold, I cant make ‘f**g sense of it’ and it will be a nightmare’

And so it was said.

NB: All Beasts shalt be considered without sin until proven Guilty at the Temple.

To those who dip into my Blog and any others passing through have a Good Christmas, New Year and 2010. Stay safe and watch out for your family, friends and colleagues.