Total recall

I think the phrase is 'Back in the day' but when in my final years as a student aged about 17,I was a bit of a stud. I was quite often mentioned in assembly as having gained some scholarship or other or winning something that involved throwing heavy weights about. I was not afraid of showering and had access to money from parents who preferred to see me elsewhere than at home. I was a close friend of the son of the local villain who seemed to view me as a good influence and saw I was 'looked after' in local pubs and restaurants. All of this stood me in good stead with the opposite sex.

At that time, a kiss at the end of the first date was considered extremely forward. Girls protected their good name even ahead of their virginity. We courted - sure but it was all ships that pass in the night stuff. However, I set a personal target of three strikes and you are out. I moved around like a butterfly.

I found that best results came from being very nice. None of the hard man posing that came later in those years. If all else had failed, I booked seats to see Carousel that was enjoying a long run in London. The show, with a meal before or after, seemed to have a magical effect on the female psyche. If it did not result in a lowering of the defences, I fluttered off. But that did not happen all that often.

The Proms has just had a Rogers and Hammerstein night and Carousel figured large. I knew the words to every song and could even picture what had been happening on stage when it was sung. I think the show ran just under two years and I must have seen it ten or so times. I knew what it was doing to my companions but never imagined it was burying itself deep into my brain.

All very interesting - to me anyway. Of course, what would be really interesting would be to know how many 75+ year old women recall it the way I did. Just a taste
Of course, the real knee-parter was You Will Never Walk Alone but the football hooligans have spoiled that.