 |
 |
Ah, memories of dancing. Lovely. I remember the controversy when I took a non-Catholic girl to our school dance. She had lovely breasts and showed them off to advantage. I was so proud of my sophisticated lady ... Thanks, Max Andrew On 29 October 2015 at 05:04, Patrick McManus <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > ah heady days of youth!! they seem to have season tickets and have a > litter problem on Everest now -thanks P > > -----Original Message----- From: Max Richards > Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2015 3:19 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: 'Coronation Year Skills ' > > > Coronation Year Skills > > Edmund Hillary and co. were back > from ‘conquering Everest’ - all > New Zealand glowed with pride, > > wanting to hear him - and we did. > The whole school attended the event - > other schools were there in force. > > He was mild, soft-spoken - one of us, > also athletic and determined. > He praised the Sherpas, as we > > would have done. It pleased him > that the Brits had run the show, > choosing him for his climbing skill, > > He’d knocked it off in Coronation > Year! That topped it off; > the same year that began my life > > in ballroom dancing, practicing > the new ‘Queen Elizabeth Waltz’. > Cousin Marie, my age, said: > > ‘Join! it’s cheap, it’s Friday night. > I and my friends will ease you in.’ > John from my class was in > > already, the walk was short > from his place to the back-garden > dance-shed of our instructor. > > We went together. Oh, the pain! > dressed in new ‘strides’, stiff shirts, > hair Brylcreemed down. John > > it suited, his black shoes shone. > Biking to his place I was in a sweat, > worse now in the bright-lit room > > thronged with girls in skirts and blouses, > and smart shining hair - their feet > I knew I’d tread on, red-faced. Don’t > > look down, smile! listen and respond! > And learn the foxtrot and the waltz! > All much too hard. Marie helped, > > her friends had been alerted. Others > made me freeze, falter and stumble. > The gramophone was old, our teacher’s > > records scratched, except the new one: > da-da da-da da-di-da - > the Queen Elizabeth Waltz. > > All winter we practiced. Round > and round, skirts swirled, dizzying. > She’d have been proud, Her Majesty. > > Others may have got to some ball > and done it to live music - I’d > be on my bike skulking elsewhere. > > Once only there was a school dance. > Thank you, dear old cousin, for kind > attendance with your friends. > > Next year - was it? - waltzing was eclipsed - > Hillary’s country! - swept out everywhere. > Rock and roll - American - swung in there. >