Streatham Common Kites

“Come to Streatham and fly kites!” said a man known as TLC.  And so myself and my Chess/Swimming Buddy did!

I’ve not got much understanding of South London.  I know that it exists – not only that, I know that it exists for far too many miles beyond the southern bank of the Thames than you’d have thought comfortably possible.  I know that it’s hard to get to, and even harder to leave once the trains begin to slow.  I know that on a Sunday if you miss the connection from Balham to Streatham Common, you do so at your peril, and that at 10.58, even if the shop opens at 11 a.m. and your train leaves at 11.02 precisely, the Balham Sainsburys will not sell you a slice of lemon cheesecake for love or money.  (Mostly money.)

I know that, once upon a time, you could buy a pizza topped with Chinese-style shredded duck, spring onions and plum sauce from a pizza shop near Streatham High Street, and it was amazing.  I know that Tooting is a place for amazing curries, but heaven forfend that rash soul who strays beyond Tooting, as the Northern Line quickly vanishes into nothing and before you know it, you’re stuck on Mitcham Common wondering why.  I did not know that flying kites on Streatham Common could be both so much fun, and such hard work… after an hour of trying, we’d barely got it airborne, but we had succeeded in an extraordinary number of crash landings…