The unenviable loneliness of the long distance sentinel

News this week that South Auckland Police had been “given the option” not to ticket unlicensed Maori drivers generated inevitable outrage from the public. So it should, the police spelling of “liscense” on the documentation was deplorable. And on that subject, we did think Fryday’s old friend Whetu would have a say on the matter of Maori allegedly getting preferential treatment. Never slow to come forward on such matters Whetu’s reticence on this issue seemed strange. “Not at all, bro,” he said when we contacted him. “Those police fellas giving the bros the choice of training instead of fines for driving witout a license is really choice. Really works, eh. I done it five times now.”
Elsewhere this week FIFA and New Zealand Football are proclaiming the U20 Tournament a success. Tomorrow’s final will pit Serbia against Brazil and whilst New Zealanders don’t have any special affinity with either team, the brand of football they play is apparently exciting, say those in the know, so it should be a fitting finale.
Pity it is at North Harbour Stadium, which was a sorry sight and site for Tuesday night’s semi between Serbia and Mali. The stadium was practically empty. Temporary stands at either end were empty. Much of the temporary south stand was in fact covered by a large Fifa banner, so one can surmise that the organisers already knew that this semi-final would be anything but a sell-out so rather than waste space they used it as advertising space. Only common sense, really. But why, if they had foresight in that matter, do we have the above photo?I am sorry it is so small—it is a screen grab—but look closely. See him? The loan security guard sitting behind the goal, scanning an empty stand? There was another security guard doing the same thing just to the right of this picture: sitting, their backs to the game, watching an empty stand. For ninety minute they did that and in the time I was watching them, not once did they turn and look at the game (maybe they are rugby fans). I find that laudable of them—their attention to duty—and I can accept any security provision proffered by Fifa as substantiation for their presence and positioning. But, really, was it necessary for them to be subjected to that? Would that not be the most boring ninety minutes you could possibly spend?
If you get a chance to watch tomorrow’s match have a look for him/them. I am sure they will there. I just hope that this time they will have something to look at. I bet they do, too.