Badgers

Here is the Badger Squad, all from Madeleine's school-class and still learning how to play together. They participate in Friday-Night-Fives while this evening their third match, which they lose 7-nil, God bless them (Madeleine notes: "their eighth goal didn't count.") Andrew offers himself as "manager" (not Coach, he insists) and we watch the kids run back-and-forth generally enjoying each other if not somewhat non-plussed by the outcome. I say: who cares? as long as they are having fun.

On the car ride home, I ask Max how he played. He, after a thoughtful pause: "We took a thrashing."

Max, Madeleine and I discuss the meaning of a [workers] "strike," which they overhear on the BBC radio News Hour between rape and murder. When I ask for a definition, Madeleine: "It is when you smash things. You hit people, and you get really angry." Max adds helpfully: "It is a protest where you kill the people you don't like." And yes, I am a bit concerned by their response however it does indicate a certain competitive nature I suppose.