school days

I was a bit of a conundrum. Keen and motivated up to end of junior school but it soon unravelled. I was set to go to a posh boys school then my dad died and my family needed to cut back. I offered to go to the comp. Most of my mates were headed there anyway. It took kids from some of the most deprived areas and was notorious for bad behaviour and poor results.

I just lost interest in lessons, mixed more with the poor kids when I was there, but got so I couldn’t be bothered attending. It was the 9am starts that did it. I would turn up at lunchtime, play football with my mates then go back home lots of times. Others I just wouldn’t go.

When I was there, I used to wind up the teachers and spoil lessons a lot of the time. Also lost my cool in PE and was banned from all contact sports. Then I lost my cool playing softball and got banned from all sports. Joined an after school boxing club and got banned for breaking the rules. All testosterone I guess.

I still did ok with exams but I did miss the Maths one because I wrote down the wrong date. I wanted to stay on for A levels but the school refused to let me. Says a lot really. I went back into education in my 20s when I realised I had blown my earlier chances.

Been thinking about this a lot recently actually. My mum keeps saying "you never talk about the good times we had as a family, Chris".

Me thinking secretly - cos there weren't any! lol.

School was a lot of hard work and I just did it. Never questioned authority and did my homework - insane amount of that. Easily and hour at least a night and often far more.

I never hated it though. I was programmed - the full nine yards. I loved science and got A-levels, then university. Then things did a 180 degree turn - women, parties, started to smoke and drink, debt. No drugs though, although people around me did some weed. I was like "The Parson's Daughter"

The last exam was weird - I went to a pub with a bloke I hardly knew and drank two pints. I was expecting to feel great and to feel free but I'd been studying so hard all just wanted to sleep and get out of Leeds and the terrible student flat I lived in.

Had a lorra lorra laffs mind you. A little story I still find amusing: A mate and I pulled two local girls, who were best friends. On the third date, as a foursome, we went back to one girl's house - it was huge. Obviously a wealthy family. The girls went off to the loo or something and my mate and I were were together in a large, darkend kitchen in the early hours, alone. He clapped his hands and rubbed them together and said exceitedly "We're gonna get f**cked tonight!"

At which point the lights went on and her father said "I don't think so lads - now leave!" And that was that. Just like a Porkys movie. Not something I was prepared for anyway - a snog would have done me.

I never used that degree, never became a manager like all my co-students became. I left there a rebel - am still hating Sales Talk, stupid company acronyms I don't even want to understand and all the Corporate BS gets me down. If all had gone to plan I should now be driving a Jag, living in a big house in Surrey and keeping an eye on share prices. Didn't happen.

Probably best I don't talk about mine!