I was talking to Mum today about witches' hats. A really exciting playground staple until they were banned for being dangerous. She had no idea what I meant until I described it verbally and sketched it out in the air with my hands. Then she remembered them, but only from her own childhood, not that they were banned during mine.
Here is one in a foreign place.
My apologies, you can't embed -
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=F9_lZbjTsIM
Here is another from the fifties, the standard UK hat is in the background from 0.05
It's a conical device balacing on a central pole with a plank seat surround. Looks great. Looks harmless and safe with an ickle babba on it. Rises and dips slowly and serenely.
Now, imagine it is not quite so well balanced. Imagine you are a skinny child, standing on the seat (you were actually supposed to sit on the ones I grew up with, the seats were low) and there are other heavier, more boisterous children spinning the ride, and weighting it down in peculiar ways, so that you are plunged down one second and then lifted wide-eyed into what feels like the sky the next.
Yes, I loved it. I sincerely mourn its passing.
But I do appreciate that some children were probably hurt on it/ by it. My tough old parents, born during the war/ the war's aftermath would have accepted a playground injury. But the world moves on from that. Although perhaps not for foreigners
