I hate writing this and I hate myself for thinking about this and its control of me. Worst of all, I hate society for making me feel like this.
I cast my mind back to about ten years ago when I was in the Botanic Gardens and came across a very young child wandering around on its own without visible signs of a carer of any sort. My natural inclination was to ask the child where its parents were and perhaps lead the child by the hand in some direction. I didn't but I did ask a woman nearby to see if the child was ok. I suppose she did.
Great niece Little M turned 2 and her paternal grandfather hosted a party for her and people swam in the pool. I was going to take a photo of niece Jo in the pool and she told me to ask her Mother's permission to take her photo. This child, who from being a crying baby and we walked her around the paths of The Highrise to get her to sleep, whose nappies we had changed so many times, who we cared for umpteen times! I was furious and upset that she had been educated to react so and that she spoke to me in such a manner.
I stewed on it for a week before with the help of Le Carton de Vino Ordinaire I got up some Dutch Courage and called Sister. Sister apologised and said she would have a talk to Jo about the how to speak to people appropriately. Maybe I was going to put a photo of her swimming on FB but I didn't take a photo.
About five years later since then I have never taken a photo of Jo. She has not been included in any family gathering photos I have posted on FB, which is mostly for family and only very trusted people. I did post photos of her in group shots at family gatherings recently at Torquay but she was masked. One photo I posted where she wasn't masked, I cut her out. Such a sad arse thing to do.
Yes before you point it out, I know most paedophilia activity is within families.
Am I the only one? Boxing Day family Christmas gathering at Ex Sis in Laws. They have a steep back garden and a long sheet of plastic running the length of the garden. Pour on some cheap washing detergent and put on the hose and it's a water slide and children and some far beyond childhood years had great fun sliding down for about an hour. Four litres of Aldi's cheapest washing detergent was used. Great entertainment for so many for about $5.
I didn't take photos but R did. The next day he said, 'I am not sure about putting these photos on FB. I am not sure if it was right to take them with children in them'.
This is effing shite.
Which brings me back to Monday's mural post. Yes, if you clicked on the link the mural was part of a bigger one. Near the mural before I posted of the dragon there was a kiddies playground. I avoided including the children in the background. In this week's mural post you can see some basketball court markings on the pavement. Behind the pillar where the mural was were some young teen lads shooting hoops. To get the full mural camera photo they would be in shot. I quickly took the photo and bolted with my paedophiliac lens pointing camera. How sad.