I remember arriving at college and playing tapes nervously in my room, when to my surprise there had been a knock on the door and I had opened it to find this ruggedly handsome guy. I was so grateful to him. I might not have spoken to anybody if it weren’t for him. He was a real public schoolboy. I seem to remember he studied Geology. (In England public school is the kind of school you pay for yourself. )

Living Next Door To Alice

I Am A Rock-:Simon & Garfunkel

Source:Kylecrazyford https://youtube.com/user/kylecrazyford

I had been introduced to U2 in those early college days. We played Sunday Bloody Sunday all the time.

Bloody Sunday: 50 years since dark day that shocked the world | ITV News

My principle entertainment was watching the comings and goings from the room next door and getting used to the constant smell of marijuana from that room. He once told us his mother was watering his plants for him at home, with no idea what they were.

There was another teacher on our floor but she was cool so we hadn’t really mixed.

Unfortunately I had lived opposite this joker at the time, who had thought it was great fun to knock on my door in the middle of the night and tell me he wanted my body. This wise guy locked my newly found friend in his room overnight. (I once had a five minute phone conversation with an obscene phone caller. After what had happened at college, I think I just found it funny.) He had been booted out of the hall of residence eventually. After he had left we had some really angry guys come round looking for him, saying he had sold them washing powder, claiming it was drugs. I will never forget his pink leather jacket.

Giphy

While my ex was visiting Australia and I was alone for a while, to my surprise a guy who was also in our block that first year at college had suddenly appeared He had come up to me as I was walking to school. I was shocked to discover he was working near to our flat. We had passed the building every day. It had been really nice to see him. I remember dancing with him very well. We had only ever spoken that once. I would have suggested he come and have a meal with us. I would not have invited him with my then husband away.

I admired the old-fashioned principles of our long time Australian neighbour. He would not visit without his wife. He had an amazing family history, connecting him to leading Australian figures.I had tried to encourage the family to reach out. His mother had kept quite a few newspaper cuttings etc. She was a lovely lady. I think we all grew fond of her on our street. She had obviously raised her son well and had taught him to behave like a gentleman. He had been prepared to carry his dying wife up and down stairs.

They were both good neighbours.

It’s Good News Week – Hedgehoppers

Giphy

College years are the years you sow all your wild oats and become a vampire. By forty you’ve lived it up. At least you hope.” Octavia Spencer

Tenor

Learning To Deal With The Problems of Being A Woman

On a side note I am the only person I know who once saw a flasher and had gone back for a second look as I couldn’t quite believe what I had seen. I have been flashed at twice. Both times the guy had stood naked behind bushes rather than jumped out naked in front of me.

I think being accosted by flashers is almost a rite of passage for women! (Gif is from Tenor.)

I was also trapped in a closed train compartment with a guy who was displaying his privates. I had just ignored it and had changed carriages at the first opportunity. I have quietly tried to prepare my daughter for the nonsense she is likely to face as a woman. I absolutely loved Lisa Wilkinson’s talk on the issues women face.

The phrase “Men are afraid women will embarrass them. Women are afraid men will KILL them.”had an impact on all of us. See:

https://familytreeourstory.com/?s=Eurydice

This may seem like an exaggeration but when two women a week are dying from domestic violence alone, it seems appropriate.

See also:https://familytreeourstory.com/?s=Eurydice

Coming In Contact with drugs for the first time

I remember laughing with my parents about what I must have put on on my form to get me sandwiched between two guys involved with drugs.

She’s So High -Tal Bachman I sincerely hope I wasn’t.

Singing A Sad Song

My most regular visitor would perch on my desk and we would chat.I had enjoyed his company. Then one day he had come to tell me he was leaving.

Up The Junction- Squeeze

Somehow Elton John’s Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (It is still the saddest song I have ever heard in m years life) had happened to be playing. I remember him singing along to it. That song still has the power to make me cry 😢 to this day. I later found out the circumstances which had led to his sudden departure and I had felt very sad 😔 for him.I am sure it was a fantastic thing for him in the long run but in that initial period he must have been really struggling. I had missed him planking his backside on my desk for a chat.

Adult Education by Daryl Hall & John Oates

Source: The Dubliners https://youtube.com/user/TheDublinersHQ

Judging by the ad music, I seem to have an unwelcome Passenger-Iggy Pop or two.

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