-17

i remember my first day at school.
i was a secondary modern boy. i was the last of them (and then the first of the comprehensive lot). i was not looking forward to my first day at vincent secondary modern school. partly because i wouldn’t be with my mates and party because i had heard horror stories of what it was like in the big school.
mum got my uniform from abernathy’s and son; it would be where i got my uniforms from for the rest of my school career. unlike the boys and girls at the next door grammar school my uniform was a sensible black trousers and blazer and white shirt and tie. easy. the school badge needed to be sewn on.
monday was on us.
mum walked me to school.
she took me into the headmaster to make sure i was in the right place.
she also asked him to show me how to tie my tie.
i was already beyond embarrassment.
mr. finer was happy to show me how to tie my tie. i have to admit it is still something i have trouble doing. while doing my tie the headmaster commented on the fact that my badge had been sewn on back to front.
oooops.
mum said she would deal with it that night.
i spent the day walking around trying to hide it.
turned out big school wasn’t all that bad.