Thursday, 12 February 2009

Billy the Bollard

Once Upon a Time there was a bollard called Billy. Billy came from a traditional family of cast iron bollards. His mum and dad had both guarded Buckingham Palace and amazingly, the Queen had once leaned on his dad for a rest after a long day. Billy's dad was very very proud of this and loved to tell the story to all his Street Furniture friends.

All of Billy's cousins were also types of Street Furniture, and just like Billy, they were made from good old tough cast iron.

Billy was 14 years old and loved being a young bollard- he enjoyed playing football and particularly liked being the goalpost. His little brother was taller and thinner than Billy so he only ever got to be the corner flag.

Billy always wondered where he would work when he got older. He wanted to do a really important job like his mum and dad but knew that you did not often get the choice. Being a bollard could be a tough life, when all grown up you had to be strong and do as you were told. His Uncle Jimmy even had a dog do a wee on him once!

Billy was ready for all this though, he had been brought up well.

That was until that fateful day at school- The Street Furniture Comprehensive School. He first saw her in a corridor. She was a bollard just like Billy but she was beautiful. She was tall and perfectly straight from cap to root, she was shiny and Billy imagined that she would be smooth if he ever got to touch her. She was Stainless Steel.

Billy really wanted to say something to her but he knew they could never mix. Stainless Steel Bollards and Cast Iron Bollards were different- they could never be together. Billy knew that just brushing past her would make her rusty and if there's one thing street furniture hates it is rust.