Saturday 1st September 1984
The day of my leaving party. Got home brewed beer and cider ready for action. Jacko, Hedge, Bee, Caroline and Andy arrived around 5. We hit the Pheasant, then the Eagle for doubles at pool, then the Bird in Hand. Paul and Sheena arrived on Hunky's bike and sidecar; was also surprised by the arrival of Pete and Ian, Joe & Belinda + Kim & brothers; also John Moore and Julia meant that the Snug Bar of the Bird was completely taken over by party goers. Ron (the publican) didn't move us out 'till 11.30pm. Party was brill: split level, red wine fights, Dave collapsed a chair, people were dancing in the bath, Crazy John arrived and I finally fell into the land of nod at about 5.30 with the sun rising and about 7 people kipping in the garden!
Sunday 2nd September 1984
Woke to see Joe, Bee, Kim, and the rest of those who spent most of the party in the atmosphere in my room, away from No. 83 (the number of the house I was living in), then spent a crazy morning in the garden, broken periodically by people wandering to the bushes to throw up. Did cauliflower cheese then went for a last drink with the Sheffield contingent at the Pheasant. Back to No. 83 to relax, then the forced march to the bus stop for final goodbyes. Linda left at about 4 and when I got to the Bird (pub) that evening it was, not surprisingly, empty apart from Stuart, who predictably had given my party a miss.
Joe and Bee came round for curry and salad and a last evening. Gave me a radio for a leaving present. I gave Joe the St. Christopher I bought from the church at Fontcouvert after the grapes last year. Then bevied cider with Des. 'till the early hours.
Tuesday 4th September 1984
Last full day in Stafford. Started moving my gear from No. 83, got a curry together for me and Stuart, then set off for Andy and Mary's in Stoke with my home brewing gear. 20 mins. at Andy's, said adieu to Mary 'n' Chris, then me and Andy start pub crawling. A pint in the Wedgy, then down the hill for 2 pints of Burton (Ale), bus to the railway station, found we had 20 mins. to spare and dashed to the pub for a pint and short, asking them to hold the train if necessary. Ran back to the station to find the train being held and as it pulled out, me and Andy exchanged clenched fist salutes.
Arrived back in Stafford at about 10pm, ran to the Bird in Hand and met Norm, Des, Karen and Stuart. Got further bevied, tried playing darts but Dave and his girlfriend refused to play any more 'cos I kept getting the scoring wrong. Karen gave us a lift back to no. 83 where we hit the home-brewed cider. At about 1.30am, I headed towards my bedroom to get a tape, punched the living room door, smashed the glass, then watched a gash in my wrist start to bleed copiously. Was wearing the smartest clothes (including a tie) that I'd worn in 5 years and got them bloody. Put a rapid tourniquet on made of a football sock and Karen gave me a lift up to the new hospital. To start with, I was a difficult patient, refusing to lie down, but the nurses were great. Things looked nasty as I could see that one of my tendons was half-cut through, and got a bit stroppy when they tried to tell me I couldn't go for a piss, but they put in 5 stitches, showed me how to take them out, bandaged me up and gave me a shot of penicillin. Then it was a lift back to 83 and I returned to my homebrew and shattered front room window - even got the tape played that I was looking for when the unexpected accidental suicide attempt occurred!
Wednesday 5th September 1984
Was up at 9 and got everything in my room prepared for removal. Mum arrived at about 10.30. Des gave a hand - which I needed, having only one in working order. Car was loaded to capacity, wished Desy well, thanked him for the four-leaf clover, then signed on at 11.50*. Next to the Bird in hand to find Norm had come off his bike, bruised his arm and had exactly the same bandage on as me. Had a last bevy with the two people - Norm and Stuart - who'd shared no. 83 with me, gave Ron and Stuart a bottle each of the demon cider, then after a last call at no. 83, left Stafford, only to get 15 miles down the motorway when I remembered I'd forgotten a prescription at Boots. Returned and left again, this time without hitch. Got to Farmborough at about 5.30, and after a bath and quiet evening, managed to get some sleep!
* I was on the dole at the time and had to sign my name every two weeks to receive supplementary benefit (Government financial support for the unemployed - at the time about £50 per week).
Thursday 6th of September 1984
Got my rucksack packed, traveller's cheques sorted out - thanks to Mum - then left for Bath after dinner. Had aggravation with the DHSS in Bath, but got an E111 for my trouble, then Mum drove me to the Polhill Arms near Halstead (my birthplace). When Mum dropped me off I wanted to do three things: hit the toilet (have a pint); ring Joe to tell him I'd be late, and suss out a bus to London. I'd just waved Mum away and spotted 2 old ducks waiting at the bus stop, so I wandered over to check out the time of the last bus, when one arrived. The driver told it was the last one, so I put my rucksack aboard, dived behind the (bus) shelter to relieve myself and 3 mins. after getting out of Mum's car, was on my way to Victoria.
Rang Joe from there, tubed to Blackhorse Road, then had a very friendly chat with a young Greek Cypriot woman, who invited me to eat the chips she'd just served inside the chippy. Had just the right sort of night with Joe 'n' Jan. Got wrecked on his homebrewed beer and wine, and got into complicated and interesting discussions thanks to his friends in Australia! The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band were well in order, too!
Friday 7th to Saturday 8th September 1984.
Woke up to see Joe off to work and scoff a brill breakfast that had been knocked up by Jan, then bought a ticket at the Transalpino office* at Victoria to Cahors for £42. I cooked up some savoury soup on a park bench opposite Buck. Palace much to the amusement of the tourists and city folk wandering past, then left London for Newhaven at 11.30pm. Got moved from my seat by some jerks who'd been stupid enough to pay to book a seat. Boat left at about 1.30am. Chatted with some French people during the crossing and knocked back 2 large cans of cider, which was Lucozade compared to my homebrew, but good preparation for the impending French piss water beer.
At Dieppe, I dived straight into a first class carriage and was joined by a Kenyan - great guy, had a discussion about beers, cider etc. around the world (and) Israel, then managed some sleep 'till the train docked at the Gare du Nord. Metroed across Paris then was ripped off in a cafe near Austerlitz Station. I'd got the waiter's back up by ordering a coffee at the bar, then sitting down with it, so he got his revenge by giving me a cold croissant that another table didn't want and charging me 15 francs for it and the coffee.
Train went fine; arrived (in) Cahors at 3.30pm. Revisited the butcher's I went to last year - he didn't remember me, stashed some of my gear, and found a great place to doss - a garage.
* This organisation offered discount railway tickets at the time.
