Flowered shirts were in fashion in England, and together the youth of the kingdom formed a joyous bouquet. No drugs! Well, perhaps some drugs…but not too much – just enough to unwind the mind. That was how the beatniks rolled, in the little cars people called hippie mobiles. The people of England were calling for peace, in hearts and minds and government policy. They were the world of the future, a world in which peace and love reigned supreme. Gone were the days of Churchill’s empire, on which the sun never set. Now they wanted to live carefree. The last of the colonised nations were declaring independence, and now they were promoting peace around the world. England’s youth were with them, but peace required profound change. War was raging in Vietnam, with American soldiers dying every day and villagers perishing in the flames. The conflict between the Americans and the Russians dragged on and worsened, and the day had not yet come when a representative of all mankind walked on the moon. The English protested from time to time in their universities, yet for these young hippies May ‘68 was not the upheaval it was elsewhere around the world. Surely there must be another way to protest besides throwing cobblestones at police cars? Now, wearing flowered shirts and trousers printed with roses and daisies – that was peace. Music, love and liberty; that was all they needed.
“If I got to choose someone to go to the moon, I’d pick Paul McCartney,” exclaimed Jenny.
“Are you joking? It’s George all the way for me!” replied Elizabeth. “He’s more...spacey.”
“Enough of that, you two!” said John. “We’re not here to argue. We’re here to show the readers what peace is all about.”
“Smile!” said the photographer. The camera flashed, and the image was perfect. What better symbol than flowers to promote peace?
“Jenny, hold me hand!” said John.
“Andrew, you should get on the roof!” said Elizabeth.
“OK, smile! One, two, three, cheese!” said the photographer as she pushed the button on her camera.
It was an image of peace, but for it to be harmonious they had to agree on the right colours and patterns. What do you prefer, a shirt with yellow tulips or trousers with Van Gogh’s sunflowers? How about carnations? In Portugal they symbolise freedom, you know. Well, each to their own. How about a dress printed with bougainvillea?
John began humming a Beatles tune:
“Love, love me do
You know I love you
I'll always be true
So please
Love me do
Whoa, love me do
Love, love me do
You know I love you
I'll always be true
So please
Love me do
Whoa, love me do
Someone to love, somebody new
Someone to love, someone like you…”
Alan Alfredo Geday
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