The teen years did have high spots as well as the low times. There was a local church based youth club that gave us time to expend energy in games on summer evenings, as well as volleyball or badminton indoors on darker evenings. We helped older people with decorating, and cut back vegetation in the churchyard. Sometimes we’d visit someone’s house too and sit around listening to new records by artists like Simon and Garfunkel.
At some point I tried cigarettes but the after smell, on me and my clothes and my limited finances soon meant an end to them. Under age drinking started though not as young as some of my contemporaries. There were parties with school friends that meant visits to their homes. As we were dispersed around south west London there were occasional all nights out, or a long walk home after the last bus or train. Amongst food memories the first taste of pizza stands out, when a group of us in the sixth form visited our English teachers. My dad had set an example at home of jam and marmalade making and decorating cakes. This encouraged me to cook and when I started a Saturday job in the delicatessen I had access to nice food I could cook for family and friends.
At home the TV was upgraded to colour making Morecambe and Wise a must see show. Their specials at Christmas preceded a prolonged family gathering at a relatives large apartment. We’d have parlour games there too. And the host would give us snowball drinks form his little bar. And speaking of the ‘boys’ M &W, one friend got a number of tickets to see them live and several us spent a hilarious evening in their presence. These were the happier days.
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