In recent months something has really impressed itself upon me. It is the the silent streets. As I approach 80 years of age, I tend to think back to my childhood. That was Meole Estate, a mass of council houses. The one aspect that always comes to mind is the street activity, my street being Moneybrook Way. A typical scene would include men cleaning or repairing their car; nobody had a garage. Add in a mass of children playing games. That could be football, or even cricket, for the boys. However, the girls were very active on the pavements. Hopscotch lines were drawn on the pavement in chalk. Skipping was a group activity for girls. Add in jacks, which my sisters really mastered. The adult women tended to be talking, often across fences or hedges.

Inactivity

As I ran through Bradwell with Ann at a weekend, no matter what time, all was silent and calm. Firstly, the children’s play facilities sit desolately abandoned. Secondly, nobody is in the streets. After Christmas, no girls pushed a doll in a pram. Adults are entirely missing, consequently, so are their children. Yes, I realise that they are all on a screen somewhere, and inactive. None of the children make arrangements to meet and play. Worse, hiding behind all those screens are some very dangerous people and sites. The fear of playing in the street is replaced by something far more sinister.

The Silent Streets

What all this is about is activity, using the body. It came to mind when a group of people I was with talked about dishwashers. I decided not to mention that our dishwasher lies unused. That is because I wash-up two or three times a day. I do it automatically because jobs are not work, they are activity. The indoor gym is washing-up or cleaning a toilet, the outdoor is running or gardening. Keeping active all day uses calories and moves muscles. Not doing these things means heavier bodies and weak legs. Firstly, this is why obesity is endemic, and men and women are disabled too early. Secondly, labour saving devices is a misnomer; inactivity is the real killer.