ASSIGNMENTS:
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Dan MacCannell
Los Angeles, California USA
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REPORTS:
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5. New Year's Day: Maggs Thatcher claims that her brand of capitalism has saved us from the excesses of socialism as depicted in Orwell's famous novel. Orwell was my favourite author at that time, and famously a socialist, so this was my first firsthand experience of the 'big lie' theory in politics. Of Thatcher, well, if you have nothing nice to say about someone, just quote Elvis Costello: 'Cos when they finally put you in the ground,/ They'll stand there laughing and tramp the dirt down.'
4. June. I graduate from B------ School, winning prizes for French, History, Geography and Algebra, but am shamefully overlooked in the category of Perfect Attendance, the subject I worked hardest at. Also sorely missed that day, my friend A---, whose attendance was always horrible, due to juvenile arthritis, I think. Of all the dads, hers had the only car better than my dad's XJ6 -- I think it was a '62 Bentley. She was fiendishly smart and funny and had freckles. I have no idea where she is but love her still.
3. August. The best summer holidays EVER, taking in a massive hailstorm in Weymouth on the way to the car ferry to Cherbourg, and on to the Chateau de Cerisy-la-Salle. My first direct experience of a moat, indoor bats, and a coin-operated hot-chocolate machine. I learn to play petancs from the writer Jean Ricardou, who wears giant aviator glasses and a shark-tooth necklace. The girls who serve breakfast have blonde braids as big around as my arm.
2. October. I attend a new school, 'high' in fact, and with better field trips. At 'A Winter's Tale' I am seated next to my classmate C-----, who turns out to be a great writer and musician. She is 5'10Ó with red hair down to her bum. Less than four years will pass before I ask her to marry me.
1. November. I meet Walter Mondale and predict he will carry seventeen states. Boy am I wrong! Dawning realisation that Ronald Reagan IS Orwell's 'Big Brother'. I design a parodic 'Big Brother' coinage using Reagan's face. Duck and Cover!
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