Perfect Future

I was in a long queue of traffic awaiting my turn to creep through the traffic lights.

The narrow single vehicle clearance was alongside a deep excavated gash in what would normally have been the other lane but now heavily bounded by a line of horrendously purple coloured plastic barriers. No doubt some bright spark in the marketing department of the civil contractors Trench, Trench, Ramp and Trench had cottoned on to the idea of making their presence even more apparent to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians in a trademark colour to match their vans, diggers and also the faces of their labouring labourers. That sort of consideration explains why they are called civil, I'm sure.

In a sad but very practical way I had timed the average wait at what was indicated as a three way controlled road works at two and a half minutes. Given the backed up traffic and those anti-social motorists who insisted on playing follow my leader even on a long displayed red light the actual allocation of time to squeeze through the purple haze was but a few seconds. At best three of four vehicles, only, made it through and to freedom from each direction.

I therefore had plenty of spare time on my hands.

After fiddling with the radio, wiping down the dashboard with my oversized cleaning mitten, playing around with the electronic settings on my seat and gathering up empty drinks cans and sweet wrappers so as not to become wedged under the brake pedal I was bored.

Looking right out of the car window I noticed a large rectangular sign board in the entrance to an unremarkable piece of scrubland. The marine ply had been whitewashed and supported on two substantial wooden posts driven into the hard clay soil. There were just four words thereon in large and clear script, evidently painted through a hand cut stencil rather than being left dependant on a steady hand and the judgement of an eye. The words were more prophetic than descriptive ' Land for Future Development'.

I let my mind and imagination wander over this prospect.

Future Development. At last someone was trying to meet the expectations that I have had since I was 6 years old and got excited that Neil Armstrong in 1969 was setting the foundations for my pending residence on the moon.  I became very distressed when in the TV series Space 1999 the moon was blasted out of earth orbit which seemed to me to put an end to my lunar house plans. I would have to settle for a more earthly abode however and would dream about a glass domed world of tropical plants and a controlled climate against the ravages of an earth at risk from something whispered about at that time as global warming or something like that. The threat of nuclear war in the 80's got me thinking about having to live underground for a long time before being able to emerge into a post atomic winter landscape.

Perhaps the hoarding was a form of instruction to aliens but then again anything was possible. A civilisation proficient in intergalactic travel would possibly be a bit insulted by an invitation by earthlings to set themselves down and have their future developed. The initiative and experience would be ours to learn from visitors from outer space rather than the other way round. We presume too much when we have little or no comprehension of things beyond our own atmosphere.

The signboard could be part of an exchange project with the inhabitants of Mars. After all, a wheeled exploration craft has just been set loose on their planet and they may have intentions to reciprocate or even extend their portfolio of planets by taking an interest in or control of ours.

I started to muse in the queue about what sort of other developments I would like to see in the future. These were more consistent with my older and hopefully wiser outlook on life.

Free energy for all would be a nice gesture followed by unrestricted access to fresh water. Getting the economy going on a national and global basis would be helpful to assist in full and meaningful employment and all the social spin offs that arise when people have their self belief and wellbeing boosted by contributing to their families and neighbourhoods. Respect for others and a few words of encouragement also go a long way as we all know from that swelling of targeted pride and emotion during the Olympic Games on our shores. Housing needs a bit of sorting out so as to be affordable and manageable without fear of fuel poverty or deprivation. We could all do with extra leisure time as I seem to remember getting excited about the prospect of working less hours and taking early retirement many years ago but these two enticements seem to have gone the same way as the paperless office and the Dodo. As a bonus how about a world at peace.

I was fascinated by the prospect of what that piece of scrubland could contribute to mankind if indeed its owners plans came to fruition. I will certainly maintain a watching brief over that inconspicous few acres and hope to be at the front of the line when indeed the future arrives.