Unrequited

All through Primary School I fancied Charlotte Edwards. Who wouldn't; she was blonde, pretty and I was one of only two boys in her class. The other was a total dork with all the personality of a wet fish. With that in mind, what could possibly prevent us from getting together?

Well, history shows me that even those odds weren't good enough for me - (although at least I didn't suffer the ignominy of her getting it on with the other guy) - but at the time of this memory I didn't know that....

I remember very clearly that as I walked in, this song was being played by the DJ. I know now that it was Number One at the time, but it was the first time I heard it, and I thought it was just an amazing pop record. I still do. It's a sure fire floor filler, and one to get the girls dancing. And as we all know, where the girls go, the guys will surely follow...

This occassion, Charlotte's birthday party, held in the classy venue that is East Wittering Church Hall was no exception.

Sadly, there were rather more boys present than during the school week, and even though I was looking pretty fly for a white guy (having borrowed some light blue jeans from my Dad which only in later years did I realise were rather flared - not a look that had come back at the time I was sporting them).

Berlinda might have opined "I'm not afraid, any more" - but as far as I recall I never did anything about my pre high school crush, with my fear of heights meaning that I failed to go on the swing boats with the aforementioned Miss Edwards at the last summer party we had before we went off to separate High Schools. Such lack of adventurousness put paid to any romantic possibilities. No one wants to date a coward.

(If you don't know what they are - swing boats, not High Schools - they're essentially giant swings, in the shape of a boat, which you sit in, pulling ropes to make them swing as high or low as you like - I guess the name kinda sums them up).

Good to know I lacked as much courage then in approaching women as I do now. Jeez, I'm quite depressed now....