40 years ago today saw me sticking two fingers up at the world, and what those in it thought I should be able/allowed to do.
Having spent the best part of the previous week in hospital, following jumping up to touch that sign. Falling of a bike over six hours later, then into A&E then hospital. I'd been at school as normal, when after assembly and we were all back in class, the head master came in.
Back then you stood, when he came in. Everyone told to sit back down, I was told to stand up, whilst he told me in full voice "You will not be be going swimming this afternoon". Even the class teacher seemed a bit taken aback by his method. Message delivered he left. Thursdays being swimming days for school at the baths over the road. Nothing had been said during the week.
Morning break, I was sat outside the main entrance, under the handrail. Away from everyone else. Even the teachers seemed to know not to ask me to move round to the playground. I was also in full view of his office window. So what, he'd made me look an idiot and treated me as one in front of the class, what else could he do?
He had to have seen me. He came out trying to offer an explanation for what he'd said eariler. Didn't change things, for me. The fact that I'd been swimming and was on my way into town(The fact it was along a busy "A" road never came into it) 12 days earlier, meant it wasn't safe to let me go swimming. Replies of "that's not what you said in there", and "why couldn't you have just told me, instead of doing it the way you did" seemed to shake him. Maybe he wasn't expecting that sort of answer, he got it though.
From then on it's been a case of "prove I can't do it". Very few are willing to accept the challenge, going on past history.
I have managed a walk so far with the wet weather gear on and it did actually dry up for the second half. That's it back on again though. Oh well, I have tea, coffee, Barleycup and fruit juices that I can sit here and drink whilst browsing.
.
