Most shameful memory in younger days.

[j.sabourn]

My most self shame was when about 17 when in Goa. As was nightwatchman on ship was ashore during the day. Among a thronged pavement of pedestrians . The throng made a detour around something on the sidewalk and I followed. Coming up to the obstruction was a young girl of obvious low caste sitting on the kerb giving birth to a baby , the girl I would estimate was about 13 years of age. To my eternal shame I followed the crowd and pretended she wasn’t there, Think I have mentioned this before. I self blamed myself for many years for not giving her assistance . But even to this day the self guilt is still there. The only thing positive I learned from that episode is…that one doesn’t have to Willy nilly copy other people’s morals or lack of them , we are quite capable of making our own decisions in life. JS

[happy daze john in oz]

John, I understand your feelings.
At times we could all have done something for others but failed for one reason or another.
We are human and as such are far from perfect.
One could only hope that child grew up to become a good citizen of where she ended up.

I have missed opportunities to do good at times, but now as a volunteer at the local Community Center I feel i can give something back to those less fortunate than I.

[Ivan Cloherty]

To my eternal shame I followed the crowd and pretended she wasn’t there, Think I have mentioned this before. I self blamed myself for many years for not giving her assistance JS

And just what do you think you COULD have done John, had you stepped in you may have caused untold trouble for the girl and yourself, there are some things in this world that you cannot change, you cannot blame yourself for things you cannot control.

Remember the old saying 'The road to hell is paved with good intentions'

We all have regrets you cannot let them eat you, you above all others have nothing to be ashamed of, and many, and their families, will give thanks to you until their dying day

[j.sabourn]

Could maybe have phoned for an ambulance or tried to,connive one of her countryman or woman to do so. Later in life I sailed with such people and saw what the caste system did to the different layers of people and not too impressed. And yet today people go,there for holidays and think,it’s a wonderful place,,suppose they’ve never seen cows crapping all over the place and think how novel it is. Bet they never get taken down Grant Road in Bombay or see the beggars deformed at birth to give them a job in later life. The world is full of unfortuanate people who have little hope of any future apart from the will to survive. What sort of leadership do these countries have ? JS.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Could maybe have phoned for an ambulance or tried to,connive one of her countryman or woman to do so.JS.

All those decades ago John you were judging life by the standards set by your parents in the UK in the immediate post war years where we all pulled together, at the age of 17 you were in an alien country with different morals and systems (it hasn't changed) and NO ONE would have called an ambulance for a low caste nor would one have been sent out no matter how much you pleaded or begged.

I remember in Capetown when I was 17 stepping off the pavement to let an indigenous lady pass and replying to her when she asked the time, I was then arrested by two passing policemen for fratenising with a person of colour and told in no uncertain terms that there was no way I should have stepped off the pavement or talked to her and I was lucky I was not spending the night in a cell.

Different countries different rules, in some they haven't changed because they are ingrained. In Thailand for instance you can still get arrested and jailed for putting a crease in the Kings face if you fold a bank note incorrectly. All visitors to the UK can break our rules, plead ignorance and get away with it, try breaking rules whether written or not (just customs) in some countries then you can find yourself incarcerated. I believe you can get fined for possessing, not even chewing, gum in Singapore, should you be daft enough to deposit on the pavement you'll find yourself in the pokey.

Don't be losing sleep over life you cannot control

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John
I was in Goa we played a soccer game against a local side all three thousand of them it seemed, I was running up the touchline with the ball when a spectator jumped in front of me and kicked it to an opponent, a few others then joined in, that would have been sacrilege at home, I Hope. But the other thing you have to remember was that had you stopped to help you would have been responsible for the Child for the rest of his life, that was their mantra.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Try Singapore for rules and regulations.
They still hang on Friday if you do the wrong thing.

John, simple when in Rome do as the Romans do!!!!

[j.sabourn]

#3 Just been reading through some of these posts again , and thank Ivan for his similar views to my own. On his ref. To the P.A. Disaster I would like to point out an offshore experience I had in Australia. I came onto the coast here on one charter on a vessel babysitting a rig which was about to do some prospecting it was on charter to one of the Australian Icon companies supposedly devoted to safety ,and for posterity should like to point out the following occurrence. Working off the South coast of Australia we were the designated safety vessel for the duration that is to say we were on instant notice to assist in the abandonment of the rig. The OIM
Said to me I want to load all my explosives on to your deck as need the clearance up here. Being at the rigs so called beck and call and to comply as far as possible I said sure how long will you be, his answer was I want them left on your deck all the time you are here, this meant 6 weeks. I said No, I will take them into port for you if you give me clearance to leave the site. He said no I’m going to load them on your deck, I said your not, and refused point blank. My memories of the ref. Ivan makes in his post was still fresh in my mind and can just imagine the same circumstances with a deck load of highly volatile explosives. On finally return to port I received a visitation from two of the Icons head office , they went off with a flea in their ear, just in case however I had informed the maritime union of their intention to censor me for disobeying an order. Explosives with or without detonators are extremely volatile in extremely high temperatures , and to me the OIM could forget his high and lofty position and listen to reason from people who obviously knew a bit more about safety at sea than he did. This post is for posterity only for anyone having to make such judgements either today or next week , we all take risks at sea but they are well calculated ones , we don’t dare the devil to do his worse JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John
Terrible thunder storms here so maybe my email got through, f not will try again tomorrow.
Des

[j.sabourn]

#9 Yes Des just seen , self also have to frequently get back on site put that down to my IPad and my ignorance ,as said when this one blows up that’s it ,will go back to contemplating my navel. Numbers don’t mean anything really unless it’s to do with dollars . Cheers JS.