"Us Two" - by A. A. Milne

Us Two by A. A. Milne

Wherever I am, there's always Pooh, There's always Pooh and Me. Whatever I do, he wants to do, "Where are you going today?" says Pooh: "Well, that's very odd 'cos I was too. Let's go together," says Pooh, says he. "Let's go together," says Pooh. "What's twice eleven?" I said to Pooh. ("Twice what?" said Pooh to Me.) "I think it ought to be twenty-two." "Just what I think myself," said Pooh. "It wasn't an easy sum to do, But that's what it is," said Pooh, said he. "That's what it is," said Pooh. "Let's look for dragons," I said to Pooh. "Yes, let's," said Pooh to Me. We crossed the river and found a few- "Yes, those are dragons all right," said Pooh. "As soon as I saw their beaks I knew. That's what they are," said Pooh, said he. "That's what they are," said Pooh. "Let's frighten the dragons," I said to Pooh. "That's right," said Pooh to Me. "I'm not afraid," I said to Pooh, And I held his paw and I shouted "Shoo! Silly old dragons!"- and off they flew. "I wasn't afraid," said Pooh, said he, "I'm never afraid with you." So wherever I am, there's always Pooh, There's always Pooh and Me. "What would I do?" I said to Pooh, "If it wasn't for you," and Pooh said: "True, It isn't much fun for One, but Two, Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. "That's how it is," says Pooh.

When a voice calls .... - by Tom Utley

When a voice calls 'Inspector Sands', terror is never far away

by

Tom Utley *

[….]

People of my parents' generation sometimes tell me that they quite enjoyed the Second World War. In saying that, they are not belittling the sacrifice and suffering of all those millions. What they mean is that there was a sort of excitement to be had from living through those dreadful years. They had a sense of perspective and of fellow-feeling that my generation hardly knows.

In a very small way, the current war against terrorism may be bringing those feelings back. For example, it must have been more than a year ago when I first heard the announcement, on London Bridge Station: "Would Inspector Sands please report immediately to the barrier at Platform 12."

The surname struck me, because it also belongs to the revered Saturday editor of this newspaper. Later that day, Inspector Sands was also wanted at the ticket-office on Bermondsey station. The next day, he was wanted at Canary Wharf. And at Victoria. And at Blackfriars. Slowly, it dawned on me that "Inspector Sands" must be a code-word for a security alert.

Today, there can hardly be a single regular traveller on public transport in London who doesn't realise that when the man on the Tannoy demands the urgent presence of Inspector Sands, what he means is that the nearest officer from Special Branch or the Bomb Squad should go immediately to the place specified.

We seasoned commuters look at each other and smile. And when we smile, we are telling each other this: "Aw, bless them! They are trying not to frighten us. But we know exactly what they mean. And still we are not scared."

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* The Telegraph / Comment, November 22^nd, 2003

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3599228/When-a-voice-calls-Inspector-Sands-terror-is-never-far-away.html