I was recently asked by an old Prep' School friend, to name the people on this 1960 Rugby team photo. When I came to the boy on the right (the one on the left was me) it brought back strange memories.
His name was/is Fennimore, and as you can probably see by the photo, he was a big lump of a person; we were both 13 at the time. He considered himself the strongest boy in the school; if not the brightest.
We were once matched against each other in a Boxing Match, and, naturally, I feared the worst. I imagined that I was going to get a real drumming, so I concocted a strategy. When the bell sounded for Round 1, I flew at him and didn't stop throwing punches until the referee stopped the fight. Poor old Fennimore; he didn't know what'd hit him (other than me). Later that evening I found him blubbing; his 'tough guy' reputation had been trashed.
It's not always the strongest who wins a fight; it can often be the one who uses a little guile. If I hadn't employed a simple strategy that day, I would probably have ended-up with a broken nose.
I wonder what became of him?
Nice work! Brains over brawn, right?
ReplyDeleteIf you put it like that... yes.
DeleteI remember that young lad on the left of the photo well!!
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't exist any more.
DeleteYou look very confident, and you have a nice cheeky face. Greetings Maria x
ReplyDeleteHow times change!
DeleteTimes do change Cro, but that boy is still in you, it's what has made you the man today x
DeleteThat is interesting Cro. At school I defended myself with words not fists which as anyone knows is not a popular thing to do at school. One day at Grammar school when the teacher left the class for a minute and school bully was sitting behind me in class he started flicking my ears. For some reason still unknown to me I lost my cool, turned round, grabbed his blazer lapels and pulled him towards me whereupon he caught his nether regions on the hasp and staple lock on the desk. This gave me the opportunity to spread his nose over his face with my fist. His reputation destroyed I had a very much quieter life (as did many others). It was the one and only time I ever retorted with a physical response. I wish that I'd done it 4 years earlier.
ReplyDeleteWell done you! Most bullies soon go crying to mummy when confronted; hopefully they learn a lasting lesson too.
DeleteThe strange thing Cro was that a year or so later he came to me one day and asked if I'd help him with some aspect of schoolwork and whilst we never became friends we were on good speaking terms.
DeleteYou look as laid back as ever.
ReplyDeleteI'd probably just had lunch.
DeleteI bet you were big man on campus for days after that win.
ReplyDeleteI certainly was, amongst my friends. My name was dirt amongst his friends.
DeleteI think he is the one bullying me and others in the pub under a false name.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't think your technique would work these days...
DeleteThe foot ball team in my people's Shropshire village used much the same technique. We called it 'Kick and Rush'; they kicked the ball and all of them rushed after it. I think it worked quite well.
DeleteI suppose it is another example of 'slow and steady wins the race' Cro. Or may be, judging by your attack, the reverse.
ReplyDeleteDon't give the opposition time to think, is more my attitude.
DeleteThe fresh faces of youth
ReplyDeleteI hardly like to look.
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