Wednesday, November 15, 2006

I remember Alma Cogan.

I remember the test card.

I remember Black Jacks.

I remember Fruit Salads.

I remember "Don't tell him your name, Pike."

I remember Saturday morning pictures.

I remember Gil Favor and Rowdy Yates.

I remember the MFP (Music For Pleasure) record label.

I remember Haagan Dazs ice-cream parlours, particularly the one in Brighton.

I remember fountain pen and propelling pencil sets.

I remember playing with building bricks.

Monday, November 13, 2006

I remember Ren (Renato Tambini 29.7.65-13.11.96).

Thursday, November 09, 2006

I remember a man in the pub who kept calling me Geoff. He would now and again revert to Graham but he was so drunk - though pleasantly so - that while he was talking with deep seriousness about the palaeontology of the area you weren't quite sure whether he was talking rubbish or had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the topic. He also broached the subject of drugs, and several times asked me if I had ever smoked pot, possibly because he couldn't remember my answer and possibly because he didn't believe me. And as I couldn't remember his name five minutes after he told me, I have no complaint about him getting my name wrong. His son's name was Crispin. But it might have been Crispian. They had caught 15 mackerel that day and were in jubilatory mood, and kept raising their glasses or shaking my hand because I was sleeping in a tent.

I remember the barmaid, Kerry, whose parents run the Red Lion in Beominster, when I said goodnight and thanks, saying: "Goodnight Graham, or is it Geoff?"

I remember having to get up at about 3.30 on my first night to make sure the outer tent hadn't blown away. It hadn't.

I remember Clive telling us how he had walked to Eype and then back along the beach, which you can't do. He hadn't even checked the tide tables. But he made it. Apparently John Parker had found a way up from the beach on to Thorncombe Beacon.

I remember Steve, a charming man and an achiever, with two children from his first marriage, two from his second wife's, and now an 18-month-old - all boys. He had worked for BT on virtual reality projects, but while he was trying to talk about this, Pete (if that was his name) would keep interrupting.

I remember Clive appeared to be sat in the bar from about 5 until 10pm. When I arrived I was telling Paul (the landlord) about being made redundant. Clive asked who from and I told him, and it turned out that he had been made redundant by ITN. As I left he said there would be a pint behind the bar for me - and there was. And he wouldn't accept a drink in return.

I remember being disappointed by The George, which wasn't even open on my first day camping because the staff had all gone on a jolly! Whereas The Anchor had once again gone up in my estimation. The atmosphere, the staff, the beer were all top class. Although I admit that the fish pie in The George on Wednesday night was great, and so was the Tally Ho!

I remember the waiter in Long's telling me chef wanted to know if I wanted the head on or off my grilled fish. Then he came back and chef wanted to know if I wanted the roe left in. I went with head on, roe out. But I can't remember what the fish was - and it's only a week ago!

I remember Bernie kept wanting me to borrow his electric fan heater, but I had intentionally left mine behind, keeping things simple, and in any case despite the ice on the outside of the tent, inside it was a good four or five degrees above freezing.

I remember going to Frosts in Bridport and buying a couple of sketch pads and an A4 ruled pad and buying a set of guitar strings in Axminster, but finding it to cold to do any sketching, writing or guitar playing.