Tuesday, April 30, 2013

I remember my first mobile phone had an aerial. Only about an inch or two long and you could unscrew it.

I remember coracles. Welsh fishermen used to use them. John Noakes probably had a go on one for Blue Peter.

I remember Botes book shop. It used to be down the high street in Sutton but when they built the new library, with a small shopping parade beneath it, Botes moved in up there. It was the only shop to move in as far as I remember. Don’t know if it’s still there.

I remember Dennis Bloodworth – our biology teacher – used to have a flat in the block overlooking the school playing field. He also used to play the clarinet.

I remember Graham from over the road – a year or two younger than me – fell into the brook and caught dysentery and had to report it to the library. Actually I think there used to be a label stuck in library books that said you had to report  certain diseases when taking them back.

I remember the week when Faure was composer of the week on BBC Radio 4. It was when we went to France so I missed the broadcasts and the opportunity to download them afterwards. And they still haven’t been repeated.

I remember learning the words to The Flying Cloud as sung by Louis Killen driving to and from work. I had a cassette of him singing it which I might have actually recorded at the Peter Bellamy memorial day. That’s the only time I would have seen him because in those days he lived in the States. He’s back over here now, though I believe living up north under another identity. I don’t think I ever sang the song in public, and I’d have to learn it again from scratch before performing it now. It’s a lovely song.