On Saturday afternoon, the old soaks of the Albert - of which I count myself one - were making the place unusually busy and unusually jolly, for that time of day. The reason of course was reclaim Brixton. For many people it was simply reclaim friends. People from all over the years, long before my time, catching up.
Then for a few moments something jarred.
Some men came in, and tried to start a fight with someone sat at a table.
Because he was wearing the wrong trousers. "Look at him, the smug bastard, with those trousers".
They had misjudged their prejudice. The person in question - wearing the wrong trousers - was a regular. Not that you'd know if you judged by appearances rather than hear someone out. Easy to shoot first, ask questions later.
The men - whom nobody recognised - were quickly blocked by other regulars. It was quickly clear to the fight-the-trousers mob that they'd made a big misjudgement that was on the verge of costing them a thump. All from a crowd they'd assumed - based, I assume on appearances - would support them.
To me there's something telling in this. The back yard of a pub like the Albert takes people at face value. There's a common concern about things that are hurting everyone. Housing must be the biggest.
But it's not about beards, or brands of smartphone, or the wrong trousers - as those men found out. Not at least in that pub garden.
Then for a few moments something jarred.
Some men came in, and tried to start a fight with someone sat at a table.
Because he was wearing the wrong trousers. "Look at him, the smug bastard, with those trousers".
They had misjudged their prejudice. The person in question - wearing the wrong trousers - was a regular. Not that you'd know if you judged by appearances rather than hear someone out. Easy to shoot first, ask questions later.
The men - whom nobody recognised - were quickly blocked by other regulars. It was quickly clear to the fight-the-trousers mob that they'd made a big misjudgement that was on the verge of costing them a thump. All from a crowd they'd assumed - based, I assume on appearances - would support them.
To me there's something telling in this. The back yard of a pub like the Albert takes people at face value. There's a common concern about things that are hurting everyone. Housing must be the biggest.
But it's not about beards, or brands of smartphone, or the wrong trousers - as those men found out. Not at least in that pub garden.
