Area 51

Inspired by a Peer of mine from the UEA. This article is the prompt.

It is not easy to piece together events in the world and the actors that change and forge enterprise enabling safety and cohesion within their community.

The story I put forth is to be an excerpt for a forthcoming book. I intend to publish it in 10 years or so.

I used to live in London, although I use that term loosely where Borehamwood is concerned as although it is within the M25 it is in fact in Hertfordshire. The circa was 1997 -> 2002.

The Estate concerned is Ashdown Drive. A picture of the Duplex Maisonette I owned is above. So like Duplex’s. An efficient usage of low in height accommodation.

My time there was quite functional. I ate many take aways, went to the cinema, drank at the Spoonies. Watched as the town expanded economically and happily it seemed commerce was attracting commerce.

I arranged to meet my Community Psychiatric Nurse (PSN) at Tescos in Borehamwood sometimes in Lunchtime from my work in Radlett. His name was Billy and our conversations were hyperspatial. All of them tend to be if you are able to converse that way. Some 5-year-olds know more about the solar system than 25-year-olds. Not that I seek them out to have such conversations, you understand.

My work is and was and shall be very much more important than other parts of my life.

I became Treasurer of the Estate. The first such position I held. I found myself having conversations with people I would not normally do so with. It was a useful time for me. I wrote a VBA Access (Microsoft) computer program to manage the Estate accounts, and I showed people (other of the Estate occupants) printouts of what they owed and they promptly paid. There were Rabbis and Retirees, and other types of worker.

There was of course one. He kept leaving the Estate and his house empty for months at a time and he preferred to work with cash so I found his account would grow in what was owed. Until I heard that he had returned and I paid him visits with a printout in hand. He would inspect the printout pull a large round wad of cash from his pocket and say how much do you need? I would read from the printout the amount and the bill would be settled. It turns out he was going back and forth from to Israel.

So towards the end of my sojourn there I became a bit stressed and sold the Duplex to move back to East Anglia, Norfolk being my birth county, thinking they could solve my problems. This was in about 2002.

Before or as I was leaving, I took the books to a neighbour who was then a Mini Cab driver. I look at him, and ask him, “Are you a Jew?”, he replies, “Yes”. I shake his hand, turn my back and leave the vicinity for a while.

Alaa / This seems so distant in time to what happened to you and your family. Events are seemingly cruel and can be thought of as Evil. Spiritual enlightenment has taught me to help people who come to me. Sometimes by simple communication online or offline.

I want you to know I pray for one family in Israel. And one family in UK. I extend my good wishes and offer a conversation to many others. Especially you Alaa, scholar and peer.