Leo

Something to warm the cockles of your heart (anyone know what a cockle is, I don't?), for those who support the good old system of capital, and are righteously indignant at being taxed to care for other people and their snotty children. I am sure you will find the sentiments expressed comforting.

It is from an episode of the BBC's 'A bit of Fry and Laurie'.

(Hugh is a beggar. Tatty beard, old raincoat. Stephen, dressed like a plutocrat, passes near him. He stops in amazement and stares at Hugh.)

Stephen ... What on earth are you doing? What on earth are you doing?

Hugh ... What do you mean?

Stephen ... What is that cloth cap there for?

Hugh ... Well it's for the money.

Stephen ... Money? What money? I mean, what are you doing?

Hugh ... I'm busking, aren't I?

Stephen ... Busking? Busking? You're busking? What do you mean you're busking?

Hugh ... I play the mouth organ and people give me money.

Stephen ... Money? They give you money? For playing the mouth organ? People give you money for playing like that? They actually give you money? They pay you?

Hugh ... Some people do. No harm in that.

Stephen ... No harm in that? No harm in that he says. People are prepared to give you money for standing on
a pavement and blowing through spittle? It's unbelievable.

Hugh ... Look if you don't like it, you don't have to listen or give me anything.

Stephen ... Don't like it? How could I like it? It's revolting. It's the most disgusting and pathetic noise I've
ever heard. And people give you money for it?

Hugh ... Well it's kindness as well, isn't it? They're just
being kind.

Stephen ... Just being kind? But surely if they were just
being kind they'd put a bullet through your head,
wouldn't they? That's what I'd call being kind. Put
you out of your misery.

Hugh ... I'm not that miserable. I quite enjoy it. People are nice to me.

Stephen ... Not miserable? Not miserable? How can you be
not miserable, look at you, your clothes are in rags,
you smell disgusting, how can you be anything
other than miserable?

Hugh ... You're very insulting, you know.

Stephen ... Yes of course I know. Do you think I wasn't aware of the fact? Of course I'm insulting. I'm very
insulting indeed, especially to smelly, squalid poor people who play the harmonica badly.

Hugh ... We share the same planet, why can't you
let me be?

Stephen ... Share the same planet? What are you saying,
"share the same planet"? The planet I inhabit is
full of restaurants, fast cars, high level finance,
holidays in Barbados and fine wine. Your planet
is full of bottles of meths, howling harmonicas,
smelliness and grimy doss-houses. It's not the
same planet at all. How dare you suggest that it's
the same planet?

Hugh ... You may not think they're the same planet but they are. You couldn't have one without the other.

Stephen ... What are you talking about couldn't have one
without the other? What are you talking about? Are
you saying I depend on you?

Hugh ... Course you do. All your wealth is entirely propped up on the rotting hulk of my poverty - and one day it will give way and you'll come crashing down with it.

Stephen ... Rotting hulk? Have you gone mad? Is this
communist talk? Are you a communist? Do you
want me to call a policeman?

Hugh ... It's not a crime to be a communist. Anyway
I'm not.

Stephen ... Not a crime? Not a crime? Have you gone howling mad, not a crime. This is 1988, of course it's a crime. Communists are the enemy of democracy, they are criminals.

Hugh ... Well what's so good about democracy?

Stephen ... What's so good about democracy? What's so good about democracy he asks?

It's freedom of speech and thought and belief, that's what's so good about it, you degraded heap of smelliness. Now get out of my way before I set fire to you. Get a job, clean yourself up. It's demeaning to have a pile of litter playing the harmonica at one.

(Stephen turns and strides off.)

Some corner of a foreign field ...

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Common Sense Craig

Well, it warmed something, but I don't think it was the cockles of my heart.

And Stephen screwed up; think how much money he lost in those few minutes he was talking to someone he doesn't even want to have time for? Why did he stop?

Maybe he wanted to see and hear how life would be for him when he does come "crashing down."

Everything I post is my opinion! So !

Not a Liberal, not a Conservative, not a Democrat, not a Republican........just a realist with an opened mind.

Six

I had my cockles removed when I was 10.

Was 9/11 an Inside Job? 01-01-2009 11:35 PM Barney Frank Hey Six, are you busy Friday night ???

Was 9/11 an Inside Job? 01-01-2009 11:35 PM Hillary Clinton I can leg press 700 pounds with my kankle muscles !!!

Common Sense Craig

So, 4 years into your future, right?

Everything I post is my opinion! So !

Not a Liberal, not a Conservative, not a Democrat, not a Republican........just a realist with an opened mind.

Dr.Knuckles

A cocklectomy

Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Ausinus

Yum, nothing better than hot cockles.

Anyway, cockle refers to the ventricles of the heart (Latin: Cochleae Cordis)

Burn Faster

A cockle is seafood, a small fish (or something), usually kept in salt water.
They do them really good in Wales and South West England