I missed the deadline for last week’s WordPress photo challenge, and I have not had time to look at the current one yet. But I am starting to understand the appeal of Jude’s bench challenge.
I seem to have almost as many pictures of benches as I do of doors, though nowhere near as many as I do of MasterB or of flowers.
At first sight, this bench seems nothing out of the norm.
Just an ordinary bench
But if you look at the bench ends, you will see a circle in the ironwork, and inside that circle the number 2000.
Benches with inscriptions, usually telling you the plaque has been placed there in memory of someone who, when alive, loved this particular spot, are not uncommon.
This bench, and its fellows, have inscriptions of pledges made by poeple to mark the year 2000. They are in Greenwich, outside the National Maritime Museum, facing up the hill to the Royal Observatory.
If you teach creative writing, they are gifts to hand to your students as writing prompts.
I always want to know what has happened to Jason John Murphy now some years have passed.
No more hurt
And what is David Micklefield’s side of the story?
Isobel (and Cat)'s Blog 
What a lovely find & yes, ideal for creative writing!
Well, you know where to find them now, Julia! 🙂
😀
How interesting and now you have made me very curious! The theme for messages on benches is in November if you have any more images of this bench (a list of future themes is here: https://smallbluegreenwords.wordpress.com/bench-series/ if you feel like joining in at any time) I am also a door and flower fanatic – but don’t worry I have no plans for any more challenges just yet 😀
Ah, i should have read the small print. A common failing of mine. 🙂
No small print. I am very flexible 😉
What a brilliant idea, and if your pledge is that public you’d be more inclined to follow through.
Or hide behind a pseudonym…
I hope things worked out well for JJM.
And I wonder if Jacqueline plays her bass loud enough to drown out the anguish of having her name misspelled?
Not just her name: practice is the noun and practise is the verb this side of the pond. 🙂
So pleased you showed us these benches on our Greenwich walk with you. I could easily have walked past otherwise.
My pleasure!
There’s a big difference in the commitment levels of these promises. Compare Jason John to Kassey Carrena who sounds like she’s just going to have a bit of a tidy up 😀
Well, we all have to start somewhere. 🙂
I have a thing for benches. I enjoyed the previous picture you did for this series, A Promise Honored. This is a very interesting bench with the promises. I would have a promise for the bench but I think it might be more humorous… 🙂
I don’t know but I have the feeling it’s not happy! 😦
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Went to google jj murphy and found this link – http://www.thegreenwichphantom.co.uk/2010/12/bench-marks/
Sadly no info but more on the pledge
I wonder if there is an update bench somewhere in Greenwich? 🙂
Not that I have seen.
I met my friend in Greenwich this morning and we sat on this bench. One observation she made was that all the pledges on the bench were about people wanted to be better people and help others. Except for this one. It made me think that if you offered a person one wish, would they use it to help others or would they be selfish and only think of themselves?
Kate W your message is last one on the list but I completely agree with you. The message really stands out amongst the rest and not for a good way. Lots of promises from children to help the environment and their loved ones and Jason John Murphy uses this very unique opportunity to whine about his heartache. Everyone goes through heartbreak but feels very cold to make a millenium promise to forget someone. I hope Jason John Murphy has grown to be much more selfless these days.
Interesting. I don’t find his message whining. It sounds to me as though he has had a pretty shit time in some way with David Micklefield and sees the start of the new millennium as a moment to move on and out it all behind him. Letting go of hurt and the memories of people who have been involved in that hurt, which could be bullying, heartbreak as you suggest, or anything else, would be very positive.