Youngsters

I was having my bi-weekly swim tonight when about 12 kids decided to get in with me. Now, I was a young boy not so long ago (thankfully) and God knows I must have caused a few raised eyebrows among the elder swimmers as I sailed merrily around on my foam float. But I KNOW that even at the age of 10 I had enough respect to make sure I wasn't impeding the other swimmers while having my fun. My upbringing made sure of that. This lot tonight, however, were swearing quite loudly while doing some sort of ring a ring o' roses thing together right in the middle of the pool, and one or two of them must have easily been in their early teens so this was no small obstacle to get around. The lifeguards tried to tell them off, of course, but they were ignored and everyone else in the pool (there were about four of us) just avoided them. Who wants to get verbally abused or their car window smashed over whether they can swim in a straight line? I read over that last bit and am slightly disappointed with myself, because it's so easy to think the worst of young people, but one can't help it on nights like this. The older I get, the more right wing I become. Is this what getting old feels like - constantly despairing of and fearing the next generation? But then, I know many 'reformed' people who were total idiots at secondary school and something (mostly getting married and having a kid) put them on track again. So there's always hope.