"It's not about me..."
What digging can uncover. 'The Excavation of Pompey'...
The reference to Pompeii is, I admit, a bit of a stretch… but I have just spent the last two days going through my late father’s flat, primarily searching for his Will, as well seeking out those things I would wish to keep.
And the parallel with the World Heritage site in Italy?
He lived in Gosport, which is across the harbour from Portsmouth — the city’s nickname is ‘Pompey’ — and almost everything in the flat was covered in a layer of dust: I moved one suitcase from the top of a wardrobe that hadn’t been touched for the best part of twenty years; it was as if it had been coated in volcanic residue…
There were common themes in the unexpected things I uncovered: many small carrier bags containing old Christmas and birthday cards; thousands of photographs (a few going back maybe 70 or 80 years); lots of old pairs of glasses; dozens and dozens of fridge magnets..! And though my excavation wasn’t about me, I was clearly present there — not only in many of the photographs but in some of my things my parents had held on to…
Exhibit 1: The Definite Article
During my second year at university a number of us decided it would be a good idea to start a new Arts magazine. For our first issue of The Definite Article we had 2,000 copies printed — and sold out in 24 hours!
I discovered copies of the first three issues on which I worked; one of the covers headlines this post. Although I had some poetry, short-stories and non-fiction printed across the issues, in the credits I am noted as “Artist”. Bizarre! My role was primarily to design the adverts for our sponsors; usually these were quarter page and produced at the very last minute!
In the issue shown above I discovered the ‘cartoon’ below. I apologise for its juvenile and pretentious humour, but in the spirit of full disclosure…
Exhibit 2: Letters (but only from girls..!)
In a very tatty once-orange card folder I discovered a series of letters written to me by a small number of my female university friends. They are representative of a period in my life when I was a “Romantic”, and would fall in love at the drop of a hat. I had to, I was writing poetry after all!
The letters provide fond memories of people I really liked — and of the pain of unrequited love.
No names, no quotes. It’s safer that way…
Exhibit 3: Old School Reports
But quotes are essential here!
I discovered a series of school and college reports from my teenage years. Many of the comments are standard ‘teacher speak’, but some are prescient — and some downright funny. I include a few which will hopefully amuse you:
“Ian’s written work shows promise, but is often marred by poor spelling and punctuation.” - English Teacher (I was 14 - and she wrote the same thing when I was 15!)
A common theme:
“He is capable of a higher standard.” (I was 14)
“has the ability to improve still further with more concentration” (aged 14)
“he must read the books he has been given…” - History (I was 15)
Damned by faint praise:
“Works quite well” - History (aged 14)
“tends to use too many words on issues of secondary importance…” - English A-level (I was 19), but a year earlier: “His written work reaches, on occasions, a very high standard indeed”
And reflecting on a difficult and ‘nomadic’ childhood (by the middle term when I was 14, I had 40 recorded absences…):
“It is a pity that Ian’s attendance is so irregular.” - Form tutor (I was 15)
“Ian is reasonably able in this subject, but his frequent absence from school means that his work has not improved as much as one might have expected.” - English (I was 14.5)
“Ian has missed so many lessons…”
“It is a pity Ian misses so much through absence…”
And my favourite:
“he gives the general impression of being bright and alert…” - Form tutor (1 was 14)
And a final titbit for you - though I’ve no idea who the racy blonde is..!
If you dig deep enough, you always find something, though not necessarily gold......