Monday, December 24, 2007
Country of our birth
Speaking to the Western Mail this morning Shirley Bassey tells of her natural distress at having her purse stolen by a pickpocket whilst Christmas shopping in London’s Knightsbridge area. Understandably, she has been left confused and resentful as a result of this incident:
“This isn’t England any more – at least it is not the country I remember growing up in. You don’t hear English spoken here. You read about terrible things – not just drugs but all the killings.
“When you live in a safe place like Monte Carlo, you can walk home at any time of the night and you don’t have to worry. I don’t feel at risk there. If I drive myself, I can leave the car doors unlocked, I wouldn’t do that in London.”
Although I have a great deal of sympathy for her regarding the theft of her purse, it is difficult to know what point Dame Shirley is making here regarding her up-bringing. She was, after all, brought up in Wales, not England, in one of the most ethnically-diverse areas of Cardiff. It is likely that she would have heard lots of different languages spoken as a child.
Still, at least in Monto Carlo she will be safe from being mugged and she can ensure that her substantial wealth is not raided by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise at the same time.
“This isn’t England any more – at least it is not the country I remember growing up in. You don’t hear English spoken here. You read about terrible things – not just drugs but all the killings.
“When you live in a safe place like Monte Carlo, you can walk home at any time of the night and you don’t have to worry. I don’t feel at risk there. If I drive myself, I can leave the car doors unlocked, I wouldn’t do that in London.”
Although I have a great deal of sympathy for her regarding the theft of her purse, it is difficult to know what point Dame Shirley is making here regarding her up-bringing. She was, after all, brought up in Wales, not England, in one of the most ethnically-diverse areas of Cardiff. It is likely that she would have heard lots of different languages spoken as a child.
Still, at least in Monto Carlo she will be safe from being mugged and she can ensure that her substantial wealth is not raided by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise at the same time.
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"....in Monto Carlo she will be safe from being mugged and she can ensure that her substantial wealth is not raided by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise at the same time." Nor would Her Majesty's Customs and Excise be able to loose her personal data, like they have done to 20 million other people in the UK.
# posted by 
: 10:38 AM
: 10:38 AM
Lots of us in the valleys have really fond memories of Shirley who always made us so welcome when we visited the bute after watching Cardiff City in the good old days.
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# posted by : 1:46 PM
: 1:46 PM<< Home
