黑洞社区

鈥淧hase One鈥�, said my invitation. I worry about phases. At least, I worry ever since my dear wife had a word about me to my dear Mum. I was 38 at the time; the advice from dear Mother was plain; 鈥淒on鈥檛 worry dear, he is just going through a phase鈥�. 鈥淲hat at 38?鈥� 鈥淵es of course!鈥� And I tell you this I am still going through phase upon phase. Come to think of it, I am going through another one right now. And damn it, I very nearly told you what it is . . . but won鈥檛.

鈥楶hase One鈥�, what鈥檚 that? Oh, said my editor, it鈥檚 a sort of shindig for the younger end of 黑洞社区 readers organised by 黑洞社区. So I came. Well, you would, wouldn鈥檛 you! And give or take the odd 鈥榗rumbly鈥� or two, there were 200 or so Phase Oners. I then looked a tad more. If 鈥楶hase One鈥� is supposed to be those youngsters who are, well, at 鈥楶hase One鈥�, I asked myself how old I was in my day when I was at phase one. I put it a fraction younger than this group of shin-diggers. Hell, a good number hovered just above and just below the 30 threshold. Three beautiful young ladies gently and separately interrogated by yours truly revealed a two-year margin to 30. A few fellas I spoke to were just 2 years over the threshold. More like 鈥楶hase Two鈥� I muttered. And blow me, a fraction more interrogation, revealed that this Phase 30 group were already holding down some weighty job titles. At 30, these so called lads and lasses are in hugely responsible jobs. In a few minutes time 鈥楶hase One鈥� will be running the whole show, not just part.

And are we in good hands? Oh yes. I even think in talking to 鈥楶hase Oners鈥� that they are not going to make the same mistakes that us Phase Crumblies did. I do so want them to make different mistakes. Honest. Oh for heavens sake don鈥檛 stifle this group. Reduce the regulations, reduce the rules, let our 鈥楶hase Oners鈥� come up with bright new ideas . . . refresh construction . . . before they become 鈥楶hase two鈥� or more, or more. We crumblies are in good hands.