Monday, December 19, 2005
I was emailed via Friends Reunited last week by a friend I have had no contact with for 20 years. We were probationary teachers together in the rough end of London. "I thought of you," she wrote "when I realized it was the 25th anniversary of John Lennon's death because we were together in that crappy tower block you lived in in West Ham when we heard the news."
Were we? Doubtless we were. I have no reason to question her recollection of events. However, it made me realize what a self-centred soul I must be because not only do I not remember hearing about John Lennon's assassination but I can't place myself at any of the other 'landmark' events of the 20th century. What was I doing when Kennedy was shot? No idea. What was I doing when man landed on the moon? Watching Doctor Who probably, but I don't really know. When Elvis died? Clueless. The twin towers? (I hate to give in to the US dating system and say 9/11 but who recognizes 11/9?)Well, I have the excuse that I was living in the jungle at the time and news filtered in slowly.
Of course, if you were to name a year I could probably tell you my weight at the time and what diet I was on. See what I mean? Totally self-centred. And my current weight? 78.8 kg. The steady Christmas rise continues.
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Were we? Doubtless we were. I have no reason to question her recollection of events. However, it made me realize what a self-centred soul I must be because not only do I not remember hearing about John Lennon's assassination but I can't place myself at any of the other 'landmark' events of the 20th century. What was I doing when Kennedy was shot? No idea. What was I doing when man landed on the moon? Watching Doctor Who probably, but I don't really know. When Elvis died? Clueless. The twin towers? (I hate to give in to the US dating system and say 9/11 but who recognizes 11/9?)Well, I have the excuse that I was living in the jungle at the time and news filtered in slowly.
Of course, if you were to name a year I could probably tell you my weight at the time and what diet I was on. See what I mean? Totally self-centred. And my current weight? 78.8 kg. The steady Christmas rise continues.
