Electric Avenue

Where I was born in the country we had lots of trees. In fact, there was loads of everything green. You name it, bushes, hedges, copses – we had them all. The last street we lived in before moving from the county of my birth was called Avenue Road. Outside of our front gate was a huge tree, right in the road. So looking out of the front bedroom windows we saw greenery as the main focus of the street. We had apple and pear trees in our garden as well as our own allotment area.

Country living was part of my parents’ background and so they attempted to continue that in our English homes.

The trees that were an everyday part of our view were evenly spaced on both sides of the road - from the top to the bottom. The few cars that were owned then would be parked between the trees on the edge of the road. The trees, not the cars, were the main feature of the road.

Now, in the town where I live, when I walk on the streets the main thing I see is a plethora of black, grey and white satellite dishes – bearing the script of many languages.

It’s like living in Electric Avenue (and not the Eddie Grant version either!).