The joy of sharing laughter...

The 60 something year old man looking like he'd stepped out of a 'East London gang' film set answered in a gravelly East End accent."Armed robbery..."

His face looked like it had known a fight or two. Nose broken and re-broken, scars above his eyebrow

"Listen chaps don't be like me, I wasted too much time in Wandsworth prison". The four lads who we weren't letting into youth club mood changed from agitated anger to rapt attention to a drunken, trilby wearing hoodlum of yesteryear. Eyes wide one of the lads asked "what for...?"

The 60 something year old man looking like he'd stepped out of a 'East London gang' film set answered in a gravelly East End accent.

"Armed robbery..."

There has been a fall out since the shooting incident at a neighbouring youth club (here). The club has closed down and we are left with making sure the self same violence doesn't spill into our youth club as new young people want to come to our club. So we have to make tough decisions in that we only allow a certain number of new members on a night. The four lads weren't coming in but it seemed that they had an advocate.

I'm glad the 'ol geezer' came by because he gave us something most unlikely to share with angry young men who weren't coming into club - laughter!

Comments

Roz Lynch said…
Hey you got it out.

It was good and just shows that some of our best work is done on the door even when its saying something like 'you can't come in' its how its said and the longer it takes to say it even if it involves arguments and a ceremonial burning of a membership form, the more of a relationship you build for next time.

The young men have been back to club and I see them regularly around the area and we always say hello and sometimes even chat!

Its good on the door.
7:18 PM
Gordon said…
I'll miss the door!
10:16 PM
Keeley said…
You only sit on the door so you can have a chat and miss the first 20 minutes of club, I no your game lol...
10:20 PM
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