who flicked off a baron in the british house of lords,
and then coolly returned to her crossword.
i can't believe i missed this when it happened last month
during a debate to mark armistice day.
the baron, tom king, had referred to the fact that "survivors of world war two were getting on a bit these days", a comment that baroness trumpington (you couldn't make these names up, could you?) objected to, particularly since she is a survivor herself.
now 89 she served her country admirably during the war.
the last thing she wanted was a 77 year old young-slip-of-a-thing like this getting cheeky with her.
the two fingered salute, although common,
has never been accepted as polite behaviour.
but, so it seems, an 89 year old can do it at will and
without fear of admonishment.
now that i know this, i can't wait until i'm 89. i'll be flicking people off all the time and never apologising for it.
you can see the feisty trumpington at work here:
the act itself is fascinating enough.
invariably it is given purely as an insult.
the story goes that it has its origin during the hundred years war during the 1400s (france v england - apparently still continuing today on some levels).
those pesky french acquired the habit of lopping off the arrow-shooting figures of captured english archers and bowmen. digitally complete english militarymen took to showing off their two-fingers at the french before they engaged in battle.
the sentiment remains to this day deep within
the heart of every true englishman:
"show me a frenchman, and i will show him two fingers"
just ask david cameron, he'll tell you the same.
