Maybe we need some ‘old geezer’ values now

Sir Norman Fowler, politician, David Jason, actor Graham Nash, singer, Andrew Davis, conductor, Libby Purves, broadcaster/author, Ken Bruce, broadcaster, Christie Brinkley, model, Stephen McGann, actor, Gemma Arterton, actress IT was in 1964 that I left the UK for the shores of Borneo, On Her Majesty’s Service.

I have returned to Huddersfield a number of times over the past 50 years. Each time I come back I find it more and more depressing, with all the crime.

What is happening? I am presently working in Vietnam – yes Vietnam! It is a beautiful country with smiling, hardworking, polite, people going about their business with sincere interest and dedication (some people may need to look-up these words in a dictionary).

You wouldn’t think that not too many years ago this country was in the grip of a terrible war where the majority of casualties were civilians, many being children.

Having said this, I feel far more safe walking down the back streets of Saigon at 11pm at night than I do walking along Cross Church Street, Huddersfield, at 11 in the morning.

I guess I am labelled an old geezer now but I am proud of that name as I used to be proud of Huddersfield. For my fellow old geezers out there I am sure the following rings true:

Old geezers remember the depression, World War Two, Dieppe, Vimy Ridge, (or at least being told about them by their mother or father), the white cliffs of Dover, and Hitler.

They remember the atomic age, the Korean War, the Cold War, the many peacekeeping missions from 1945 to 2006, the jet age and the moon landing.

At sporting events, during the playing of the National Anthem, old geezers remove their caps and stand up and sing without embarrassment. They know the words and believe in them.

If you bump into an old geezer on the pavement he will apologise. If you pass an old geezer while he is walking through the village he will nod or tip his cap to a lady.

Old geezers hold the door open for the next person and always when walking make certain the lady is on the inside for her protection.

Old geezers get embarrassed if someone curses in front of women and children and they don’t like filth on TV or movies.

Old geezers have moral courage. They seldom brag unless it’s about their grandchildren.

Huddersfield needs old geezers with their decent values.

We need them now more than ever.

Thank God for old geezers.