Green and Blue

Tonight I saw a play called Green and Blue based on oral histories given by policemen on either side of the north/south border before the peace agreement. Two actors played the roles of an Irish Garda and a Royal Ulster Constabulary member. The play was successful in its goal of increasing sympathy for these two characters, each of who were outcasts in their respective communities. It’s a lonely, dangerous, and thankless job, was the message. Living in Derry, we crossed the border frequently, so we were used to the drill played out on the stage as car drivers were interviewed. The amazing thing was that these men, on either side of a no-man’s land, talked by walkie talkie every day, yet never met in person. Like many threads in the Troubles tapestry--surreal.
10-22