Thrown Away
Thrown Away is a short story by British author Rudyard Kipling. It was published in the first Indian edition of Plain Tales from the Hills (1888), and in subsequent editions of that collection.
Thrown Away tells of an unnamed 'Boy', a product of the English "sheltered life system" that Kipling abhors:
Having been protected from all unpleasantness, the Boy has not been toughened and has not learned "the proper proportions of things". The Boy is sent to India, not having met his parents' expectations at Sandhurst, and becomes a subaltern in an Indian regiment. "This Boy — the tale is as old as the hills — came out and took all things seriously": he quarrels, and remembers disagreements; he gambles; he flirts, and is too serious; he loses money and health; he is reprimanded by his Colonel. When, finally, he is insulted (thoughtlessly) by a woman, he contemplates, and then asks for shooting leave, to go after Big Game where only partridge are to be found. He takes a revolver.
Thrown Away (song)
"Thrown Away" is a 1981 song by the Stranglers. It was the first single from their concept album, The Gospel According to the Meninblack. This was The Stranglers attempt at an Euro disco song, and the band were confident it would be a hit. However, it could only reach No. 42 in the UK Singles Chart, and continued a two-year period of relative commercial decline for the band.
References
Podcasts:
Thrown Away
Grandpa and me, every week or so
Wed go walking down a country road
Looking for something
Others drove right past
Maybe they were late
And they were dogging the throttle
Maybe they just
Didnt notice the bottles
Shining like diamonds in the grass
We would pick them up
And wed cash 'em in
Hed look at me and Id look at him
And hed say
CHORUS:
Thrown away
Can you believe the things
They toss aside
And leave em where they lay?
Oh, but they can be saved
If you will take the time
And try to find the good
Along the way
Oh, what this world throws away
Many years later
When my age had doubled
I met a man and his name was Trouble
He said, Son, Ill give you some advice
A family is fine
And theres a time you need them
But sure enough there will come
A time to leave em
You know you only get one life
He was a lonely man
Without a single friend
He looked at me and I looked at him
And I said,
CHORUS
And maybe someday
When the little ones have grown
I may have a grandchild of my own
And if I do, I can promise you
One day well walk down a country road