h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

[I wrote this out last night longhand, not having a computer available.]

Around quarter past nine this evening I strolled around the corner to Dunne's to buy some stuff for dinner (ah, the wonders of moving out of home!). As I ran down the outdoor steps from the complex of flats, about five young teenage lads stood up to let me pass them. They were between fourteen and sixteen, I'd say, sitting out on the stairs after dark. There were a couple of girls with them too, about the same age, standing at the foot of the stairs. Chatting quietly.

"Thanks," I said, as I passed.

One of the boys replied, something friendly, and I continued on my way.

They were gone when I got back with the shopping. I ran up the stairs and along the outside walkway to my front door. I let myself in, dumped the stuff in the kitchen, and looked again at the headline in the Weekend Herald I'd read before going out: "16-Year-Old Charged for Polish Murder." A 26-year-old Polish man called Pawel Kalite was killed in Drimnagh, Dublin, last month. This weekend, a 16-year-old boy was charged with his murder.

TRiG.

Sounds scary stuff. Poor Polish bloke.

Though seems the group at your street were polite enough, even if they did choose an odd hang out location.

Teenagers will hang out in weird locations though, probably becuase no-one else will go there.

Poor bloke.

Probably quite true. Though doesn't help when something lie that happens and all the teens in the country are then looked at with suspicion as being hooligans or something.

Very true. Teeangersa aren't always to blame, sometimes it's people in their 30's to 40's.

Yeah. Could be anyone.

Always such a thing about teenagers loitering in shopping centres, on street corners and all the rest of it. A few seem to give the rest a bad name.

It's true, i always stay at home and go on my computer rather than go into town becasue there's nothing to do. It's either hang out with mates or be bored. whichever way you loose out.

Yeah. I know for me, I never found the idea of sitting about on a street corner too thrilling. Would rather *do* something instead of standing about freezing.

yeah, but in a group of people you can share body heat...

Still it must hold some appeal for some people, or they have no imagination to think of anything else to do!

No imagination or just nowhere else to go. Can't believe people would rather freeze on a dark, wet street corner than sit in their front room.

"A few seem to give the rest a bad name."

The point I was getting at, roughly.

TRiG.

Sorry, yeah.

Really sad though.