A BROTHER AT THE BETTING SHOP
(Publication date: January 12, 2007)
I was looking at him, and he
at his brother...
Neither he knew me, nor
did I know him...
In the end:
He did what he was going to do.
I watched him,
astonished...
***
I don’t live in a
densely populated neighborhood.
In fact, the number of apartment
buildings in our neighborhood can be counted on one hand.
There are lots of vacant lots
in our neighborhood... That’s why garbage bags blow around and there is litter... Even though I’m strongly opposed to it, for this very reason I’m glad to see those vacant lots being built on, being covered with concrete.
Despite all the litter, the roads that never seem to get fixed, and the haphazard construction, I love my neighborhood...
Whenever I turn into
that street, my heart fills with peace; perhaps it’s because I’m going home...
I think there are others
who love my neighborhood, too...
Although it’s only 150–200 meters long and has a very low population density, my neighborhood has: 2 grocery stores, 1 betting shop, 1 hair salon, 1 shop selling white goods and furniture, 1 café that is now on the verge of bankruptcy, 1 bakery production center, 1 bank, and 1 auto repair shop. (I’ll be opening a “Beauty Salon” soon, too.)
Don’t be fooled by the businesses
into thinking I live somewhere central; on the contrary, I’m quite a way from the center. But my neighborhood is popular to a degree I can’t understand. It has everything...
Yes, I live in such a busy and
popular neighborhood.
So very
interesting things happen in my neighborhood: A few days ago, on a Sunday, my wife and I were setting the table for our now-traditional “Sunday morning breakfast” when we realized there was no bread at home.
Naturally, I had to go to one of the two grocery stores in our neighborhood, which face each other, to buy bread. No matter, I was going out to get the newspaper anyway...
So I set off...
As you can imagine, right at the start of my short walk to the store, in front of my house, two brothers whose ages I estimated to be between 10 and 16 were arguing among themselves for some reason I didn’t know, while walking in the direction I was going...
I ended up following them,
whether I wanted to or not.
They were ahead of me, and I behind them. During our roughly 100-meter walk, they kept talking loudly; I still couldn’t figure out what they were arguing about.
The only thing I heard and understood
was the younger one threatening his older brother with words along the lines of, “I’m going to tell Dad about you.”
They went into one of the two grocery stores in our neighborhood, and I went into the other.
The breakfast table I’d been looking forward to all week was waiting for me!
When I came out with the bread we were missing at home and my daily newspaper, the older of the two brothers who had gone into the other grocery store was standing in front of the betting shop right beside it, watching his brother walk away.
I was looking at him, and he
at his brother walking away.
As far as I could tell,
he had loaded his brother up with the odds and ends they’d bought at the grocery store and sent him home. When I saw him, he was impatiently waiting for his brother to disappear from view.
And his brother disappeared from view...
The older brother, who was no more than
16, hurried into the betting shop; I watched him, astonished...
The argument between the two brothers
was now clear to me.
Their father didn’t want his son to go to the betting shop, and the younger sister had realized her older brother was going to go there and was threatening to tell their father; though those threats were no use...
*
Why have I told you all this?
Because yesterday, the Council of Ministers made a very important decision concerning betting shops.
You’ll find the details
in your newspaper, Vatanda; but I want to issue a warning here.
(I won’t get into the debates
about the existence of betting shops. I realize it’s very difficult to prevent them; if the necessary regulations are introduced and enforced, I don’t think there’s a problem. Because if you don’t bring the matter under control with the necessary regulations, that’s when the real problems will arise.)
The minimum age for entering betting shops has been raised from 18 to 21. It’s a very important and appropriate decision; but, as in the incident I just described, unfortunately the rules weren’t followed even when the age limit was 18.
Whenever decisions of this kind are made, I repeat the same warning: Unless the decisions made are properly enforced, they mean nothing, however appropriate they may be.
I believe that if a good enforcement
mechanism is established, at least on issues this vital, and attention is paid to implementation, it will be to everyone’s benefit.
Otherwise, I must say that the fact that these decisions, which I believe are vital for all of us, may become just another important decision left on paper is causing me concern.
I hope those who made this decision
have thought about how it will be monitored and enforced...
See you on Monday... Be respectful in traffic!
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