IT was Ken’s idea to start making the world a more tolerant place – and I was with him all the way in principle. A recently retired school teacher and like many people who have spent a lifetime encouraging primary school children, he retains a bucketful of suggestions.

He urged Colin, a former college worker, to ignore his son-in-law’s maniac-like laughter and over-enthusiastic nasal noises that annually ruined Christmas lunch.

Robert, a one-time telephone engineer, should not make Luddite-like remarks to his grandchildren when they show him their latest expensive IT equipment, while I should ‘be nice’ to the next cyclist who annoyed me. He had read a recent Cabbages & Kings in which thoughtless cyclists were featured.

Members of our little group in our favourite Covered Market café said there wouldn’t be the slightest likelihood of this. I tended to agree but I agreed to try. Little was I to know that within an hour an opportunity would arise.

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The cyclist, a woman in her 20s, headed my way down the pavement in New Road. She wore no helmet, was holding the handlebars with one hand, while clutching a cardboard cup of coffee in the other.

My immediate impulse was abandoned by recalling Ken’s words.

“The road not big enough for you?” I asked, forcing a smile.

“Yes, but it’s very busy and I’ve had two accidents caused by thoughtless drivers. Now I’m scared,” she said, her lower lip trembling. “I feel safer here and there aren’t many pedestrians on this long pavement right now.”

“But why are you carrying coffee?” I asked.

“It’s my breakfast – and I’m late for work,” she replied.

Any words of rebuke stuck in my throat.

“Just be careful, love,” I managed to say as she remounted and, wobbling somewhat, rode away. Was I too lenient? Ken and the rest will judge.

FOR the past decade I have made wishes for the coming year to be better than the current one in which hatred, cruelty, intolerance and tragedy had prospered.

But what happened? Very little, and 2014 has been a nightmare; it has been the worst I can recall. Wars, allegedly in the name of god, have increased in number. Cruelty in all forms – especially involving children – has triumphed, and the faith of the most devout has been put to the test. You would be forgiven for asking if God was listening – or even cared.

Let’s hope he is so that my wish for everyone to have a happy and peaceful 2015 is not asked for in vain.

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