1999 Derry Diary #6 15 June

Diary #6 June 15, 1999', 'Tuesday, 15th June 1999', 'Failte! from my perch @ the Derry Public LIbrary overlooking the fabulous Ulsterbus Bus Station....BTW I am typing these thingies on a PC with a verrrrrrrrrrry slow connection....and for a dedicated Macintosh user, it is tantamount to heresy...but any port in a storm...

Tuesday, 15th June 1999
As I mentioned yesterday, living in Derry grows on you...this morning as I was walking the ancient walls of the city on my way to the library. I am beginning to recognize people and they me. Its cool to stop and have a chat with people...almost like living here full time. Even the little cafe across from the bus station greets me with my morning brew, and at the library they don't ask my name anymore...I like that...I used to think that at the Safeway Market near where I live in Pacifica, California they knew my name, but then I realized it was from the Safeway discount card that I gave them when I bought food...sigh....', 'Today myself and two of the girl's hopped the Ulster Goldline Bus to Belfast to get a replacement passport for one of the girls. Two of us had to go to the US Consulate with her to swear an oath that she was indeed born in the USA...all very very formal "...raise your right hand...do you" etc etc etc...The lady behind the window was very patronizing, but it was OK...we had to go to the local chemist to have the girl's picture retaken...I will probably have to go back to Belfast to retrieve the passport...Speaking of Belfast, Tony Blair was in town to give a 'pep talk' to those involved in devolution of power based on the Good Friday agreement...as many of you know, some Unionists want the paramilitaries to decommission all their arms before the assembly assembles...Mr Blair in his speech said that this was not part of the Good Friday agreement, but was part of the process in the near future...The political parties have until 30 June to get their act together or 'other means' would be put in place...I could be wrong and correct me if I am, that the Irish really don't respond well to deadlines...I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing...its just a thing...Of course then there is the 'marching season' wherein over 2000 Orange parades take place across the North...the flashpoint again could be in Portadown on July 4th. I hope it isn't. I am amazed at the restraint shown by the Provos (IRA) after the few pipe-bomb attcks by UVF (Loyalist)...Maybe, as Tony Blair (British PM) said yesterday, "We have to acknowledge that the war is over." I hope so. There is much work to be done in the healing area, the national police force (RUC) and with justice. And justice continues with the investigation of the murder of Lurgan human rights lawyer, Rosemary Nelson... It is all good work. The spirit of these folks is strong...I think it is asking too much of people to 'forgive and forget' I don't think forgetting is possible, but the forgiving part is, and maybe that's the hardest part... I keep remembering Mary Nelis' son's words written on ciggy paper and smuggled out of H Block at the Maze, when he called for an end to violence and that he did not hate his jailers...I'm not sure I will ever forget it...In other news...Tomorrow one of the girl's will celebrate her 17th birthday so we are having a little party in her honor...this will take place after our Irish Dancing lesson and our bath day at the local pool...I am getting "slagged" because I wear my green sweater a lot...well I packed light and I don't have many outfits...one of the girls brought 30 pairs of underware....amazin' but true. We all went to see "Life is Besutiful" at the Strand theatre...It was 'brilliant'...when we came out of the cinema, three youngsters were on the sidewalk begging for a smoke...they followed us home...I don't think they were more than 8 or 10...needless to say we didn't give them any....and so it goes....For those who want to see us doing stuff, or seeing what the characters in the neighborhood look like, when I return home I will be posting a number of 'slide shows' and comentary. ==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==
Until manana....Peace Slan, paul (BlackShade)