WILD AND TAMED

DOGS DINNER

Worked at a dog track in B'ham for a short time.

People would came to watch the dogs racing, bet on them & have dinner...

That's where I come in...I was a waiter.

2 incidents stand out...tripped & served a ladies' dinner by throwing it all over her...the table was so drunk, they thought it hilarious as gravy dripped from her ample bosom...the guys at the table were scrapping her dinner off of her back on to her plate...she subsequently went & finished her meal. I even received a good tip...for the entertainment.

Another time...a large steak managed to escape from one of my plates whilst exiting the kitchen. I promptly scooped it up & turned back into the kitchen expecting the chef to replace the hunk of bovine with another...He was not amused...rinsed it off & sprinkled some more gravy onto it.

In fact the diner said I was to compliment the chef on the tasty steak.

I rekon some folks can be served roasted cockroaches & compliment the service on the wonderful chicken.

TEACHING

And so began my teaching career which would last for many more yrs. In this period, though, I taught extra classes at regular schools, night college, private lessons & newspaper classes. I enjoyed it for the most part, particularly when working with students on team projects.

Although I worked on various short term contracts...teaching young & old...school & college...cover & fixed contracts...English,journalism,media studies & never seemed to be out of teaching work, I was reluctant to commit to any long term stays & I wanted to continue with my other projects...I suppose I was a bit entrepreneurial.

JOEY JOYCE

I recruited one or two of the drama students to do voice overs & various radio work for me. The outstanding one was Joey.

Not only unassuming & happy but a kind, considerate & caring person & beautiful girl of 21. We liked each other very much.She was from Willenhall & her parents liked me too.

We worked on loads of projects. She had a great voice.

We went to see Barclay James Harvest, Sheena Easton & Chris De Burgh & had numerous dates.

Perhaps I was blind but because I was afraid of rejection which would mean the end of any relationship really...I did not press on to take our friendship further.

A decision I do regret

BOGNOR REGIS

Did a week of work down on the South Coast at the Butlin Holiday Camp...teaching kids from Europe life skills like sports & survival skills using the knowledge from my scouting & self-experience. 

It was great fun. Met a big Chris de Burgh fan, Mike Sellis & we wrote a song together...

...which was sent on to a publisher I used for my other work

DIAMONDS IN HER EYES

How could she be so blind...

The girl with diamonds in her eyes...

How could she fail to see This man was genuine.

Chorus

What a fool he onced loved you...

Now he’s flown gone forever... How could you be so blind.

Those hazy days of summer...

when hopes were soaring high...

Love was around the corner...

but your heart was far too shy...

Chorus

Your sweet smile shone so bright...

Folks were out to win the prize...

of you the diamond of you The light...

Bridge

And when you found what love was for... far too late...

For you...

Young beautiful fool... Now your man with a broken heart has taken flight...

to another shore.

Chorus

So too this man I onced loved...

with my heart...

my soul... my eyes.

How did he fail to see...

My love might have been his prize

CONCERTS IN THE 80'S

JOAN ARMATRADING

JUDIE TZUKE

HOT CHOCOLATE

DAVID ESSEX...Was meant to take a female date but she couldn't make it so the RAT  came & the looks we got from the teeny boppers. I thought it hillarious but RAT was trying to hide all the time.

SHEENA EASTON...What a voice...had a real crush on this Glaswegan.

TEARS FOR FEARS...Took Nela from Yugoslavia to this one...all I remember was the pain in my thumb from banging it in the car door...although there was a guest, Oletta Adams who was terrific & went on to do well in her own right.

SPANDAU BALLET

PRINCE...Also with Nela...at the time of the 90 World Soccer Cup in Italy. There was a great cheer from the auditorium staff (who were watching on a portable TV)when England scored against Cameroon & the little guy Ponce... I mean Prince thought it was for him & I burst out laughing as I knew what was happening. Nela was embarrased but his adoring fans were not amused!

LISA STANSFIELD

CARS OF THE 80'S

DATSUN

I did not have much money so picked up an old banger. The rust was holding it together & at one point I could see the road through the floor board.

One of my students was Vicky from the Canaries & she came on trips in the car with me. She thought it was hilarious, especially when traveling north through London on the Kilburn Rd with the car back firing continuously.

SKODA (TANK)

...Well that 's what it was...a piece of junk. More off the road than on.

TALBOT SOLARA

A unique Brit/French project...Peugeot/Simca/Talbot combo. Picked up a good deal & it served me well...even sold it later...not junked it like so many other cars I had

THE FRENCH RIVIERA

We took my Talbot Solara to the Riviera.

Derek had stayed in St Tropez in the '60s. After getting past Lyon & sleeping in the car we got to the town made famous by Brigit Bardot. No BB now but plenty of millionaires, yachts & gorgeous girls.

We traveled on to Nice via Cannes... topless bathing which had Del Boy's eyes popping!...& then to Monaco We sped around the course of the previous days' F1 Grand Prix.

Then on to Grasse where we toured the purfume factories.

From there up to Grenoble & home.

1988

TEXAS

My 1st time in USA. Derek & I flew to Houston & had a rental plus a plush hotel.

We visited NASA in Pasadena seeing the original Apollo 11. Went down to Galveston & got chased out of a car museum for jumping in the cabs. The Galveston gulls were the most vicious I have ever come across, literally stealing food out of my hand.

Had an hilarious incident when Derek in his broad Black Country accent asked for a pot of tea which duly arrived with ice in it...go figure...you got to know both cultures!

Went to the largest Honkey Tonk in the world...Gilleys (Urban Cowboy was filmed there) & interviewed Sherwood Cryer's (Mikey Gilley's partner) daughter Cheri Sue who was performing.

Enjoyed all the TX cuisine & the cutie armadillos everywhere.

SWITZERLAND

Derek & I took off in his Fiat Panda & set off for the land of cuckoo clocks.

We stopped off at Lemud where Isabelle & her family treated us really well. We had a French Braai...sheep on a spit.

There was a bit of bother at the Metz hotel which was fronting as a brothel. I was taken to the police station, spending the night in a cell with a drunk Frenchie. The police saw it all as a joke. I was not amused.

In Switzerland we were amazed at the scenery & the cleanliness. We stayed in Interlaken, Lucern & Sursee.

Amazingly long tunnels.

Met Tanya in Sursee which would have major implications for the future.

1989

FINN TRANSPORT

 I worked for a man who ran a transport co. contracted to Magnet Kitchens. Traveled all over the Midlands, Wales & the north. It was hard graft but I enjoyed it.