why?
When I was around fifteen years of age, I forgot my copy of the book we were studying, Lord of the Flies (William Golding), for my English Literature class. I knew my English teacher (the lovely Mrs Neate) would be rather angry at me for forgetting my book yet again, so I came up with a cunning plan. I knew that working in the library was the mother of my good friend Liz, who caved in to my cheekiness and lent me a copy for the lesson. And because I was a little shit... I never returned it.
Years passed and every single time I would visit Liz, or call for her on the way to the pub, I'd be reminded by the Liz's Mum that I was still in receipt of the copy of 'Lord of the Flies' and that I really should return it. Appartently, ten years later, she still mentions that stolen book to Liz.
So I figure I definately owe my old school a copy, and Liz's mum should probably have one too. This isn't a 'My Name Is Earl' karma-type task. It's just yet another thing I've always said I'd get round to doing and never have.
done?
8 July 2006
Well, yet again, a funny thing happened (life seems full of weird coincidences). An ex-girlfriend who had seen the site through the Middlesbrough thing got in touch to say that she knew where the orginial copy of the book was. Apparently I had lent the Higham Lane School library copy to her younger sister, who must have studied the book a couple of years later. Either that or she was just a swot that enjoyed reading books from the national curriculum in her free time. (By the way, another apology for Liz's Mum is probably due here: not only did I steal the book, but I then gave it away. Sorry.)
I asked my ex if she would mind asking her sister to send me the book back and in a couple of days it duly popped through the letter box! The photo of the inside cover does show that I am slightly overdue with regard to returning the book.
I've also bought a nice, new, shiny copy of the book to send to Liz's Mum (well, fairly new - I've read it before sending it on, I'm sure Liz's Mum won't mind).
I have also written an apology of sorts to the school:
Hopefully they see the funny side and don't call the police.
19 November 2006
Well, it was good to see that the school took it with good humour:
Erm, yup. Thats that then. Bet Mr Kelly is a right laugh with the kids.
