Play time

I'm so old I dont reall remember... I do remember nipping out of the school yard into the sweet shop across the square and getting the cane for such an action. I was 7 years old and crossed a road alone. what I didnt really understand was the head master when my fingers tingled with pain and he Said, "Dont do that again you could have hurt yourself!" I made sure he never caught me again...

I remember playing football with a tennis ball, kicking a block of cement that covered an old Air Raid Shelter and the chain of events that followed: 1. Teacher came and asked, "Does it hurt?" 2. I told teacher to 'F..k off!' 3. Teacher gave me 4 of the best on arse. 4. For a short period, Arse was more sore than toe. 5. Taken to hospital (Toe more sore than arse) 6. Toe broken, bandaged; arse creamed, appendix taken out! Kind of a one-stop-shop. Still get a pain in my toe, tingle in my arse and wind when I think of it. Should I get counselling? Should I build an Air Raid Shelter? Should I flagellate (before or after removing my Hair shirt)? Should 'Arse' have capital 'A'? Thank you - I think!

I think it was probably 80% playing 'horses' and 20% being told off for doing dangerous things while doing so... J x

Playing tick or kickstone 1-2-3 at first. Then fighting. Then football. Then smoking. Not much has changed.

Hiding from 5th formers, playing the dreaded Soccer, (not a feature of 'Games', alas), eating lumps of unsliced bread with oxo crumbled on it (!) Attending the Musical Appreciation club (smoking behind the 'temporary' classrooms), appointments with the Head ( you've let yourself down, you've let your house down, you've let me down, you've let the school down), appointments with the Deputy Head (cane). A splendid preparation for the military, or jail, come to think of it. I bet Mac will love this. It's all true, but it was only a grammar school.

At Primary School 60% playing games like skipping/ hopscotch 40% playing imaginative games At Middle School 40% playing games like skipping 60% talking with the girls At Secondary 90% talking with friends 10% catching up with homework Sixthform (including free periods) 40% reading in the common room 40% In the pub or smoking cigs 'round the corner' 20% Smoking dope in my mate's car That's why I would never send my children to a State comprehensive. I know independent and grammar schools have drug problems as well but there are viable alternatives. We had a poorly stocked library, not enough computers and most importantly, no clubs or societies to join to keep us occupied. jude "Cacoethes scribendi" http://www.judesworld.net

New Jennifer, how do you play horses? Is it like playing helicopters?