Things past

The thing about having a misspent youth is that you meet some fascinating people. Originally one wasn’t going to write about them because well... it’s complicated. The mad person who used to hang out with these people has achieved a veneer of respectability... that’s code for old and not as much fun people.  The thing is these people were part of growing up and they have ended up as dry little footnotes, in boring little tomes, in dull little libraries. Besides most of them are dead now and it is safe to write about them J

How one ended up meeting these people is probably worthy of a long winded explanation in its own right, but again... it’s complicated. For the benefit of this one will just say that the late teenage years were not done the way most do them. After leaving home at 16 one ended up moving in with a complete psychopath who... well that is a story for another time. Let us just for the benefit of this say it was an unusual route to living with a rich, elderly gentleman who saves one’s life (looking back in hindsight) and he had some very strange friends as did one small teenager. In fact it was how we met.

At the time one was staying at a friend’s place, after one had just walked out on the love of one’s life. She was an interesting person with a love of money and not working that is the hall mark of any madam. Looking at one over the morning paper she said what the hell are you going to do with your life? To be honest... no idea one replied. Well you need somewhere to live. If I get raided having you here is not going to look good.

We need to find you a home... and I know just the person. How do you feel about old, fat and very comfortable... nice home, swimming pool and central heating? Not a lot one replied. Don’t be silly people have got married for less she said reaching for the phone. And that is how one ended up in the place one came to think of as home for 2 ½ years. Apparently one stalked in like an alley cat, sniffed in the cupboards, settled on a couch and said this will do ... the young can be very cold blooded.