I'll bet you're surprised to get this letter, aren't you? Well, I'm sorry I haven't written earlier -- I'm a very poor writer, but since I've been doing a lot of handwriting at work, I don't like writing letters at night. I don't know which of us wrote last, but please accept my apology for being lazy and not writing sooner.
Anyway, how are you? I hope you're keeping well. I've been fine, except I've broken another tooth -- and I hate going to the dentist.
I'm looking forward to seeing you this summer. Jeremy has said we should perhaps arrange to go into Leeds one day -- to go shopping. He says he doesn't know all the 'girls' shops', so he asked me to go along too and show you the shops. Has he said anything to you yet about it? It should be good fun if you want to do this!
Last week one of the girls at the bank where I work was transferred to a different branch and we now have someone else to take her place. He's nineteen -- and is probably taller than both of us put together! (one on top of the other). But before she left we had a night on the town! We (all girls) set out, and visited various 'pubs' or bars as you call them -- and ended up at a restaurant called the 'Flying Pizza'! It's an Italian restaurant selling all sorts of pasta dishes -- which really are delicious! Perhaps you could get Jeremy to take you when you come over -- it's quite an experience!
We've been very busy at work just lately -- some of the staff are sick, some are on holiday -- or taking exams, but we keep going -- which is just as well, because we'd have some complaints if not.
I'm listening to an L.P. at the moment by Wings called 'Wings at the Speed of Sound'. It's really great, particularly the track called 'Warm and Beautiful', although it still doesn't beat John Denver. I didn't get a chance to see him on his tour in Britain, but they televised the show in London, and I saw that! It was out of this world!
This last weekend I went to stay with my brother -- near Blackpool (West coast!). He's got a really nice house, and we all had a great time sunbathing and touring around the 'Lake District'.
Well, it's no good dreaming about it now -- it's past -- but my brother and his wife are coming over to use for the weekend soon -- so we will have a good time again.
Anyway, I'll leave off here and apologize again for not having written before. So long, take care of yourself.
Love Meg
Note: I don't remember if I ever met Meg or if we went shopping in Leeds. I doubt Jeremy and I went to the Flying Pizza. I do remember going to Leeds and doing some shopping but I don't remember Meg being there.
I thought I'd write to you while I was listening to the radio. It's the top 20 programme just now Thanks for the letter. I've had an afternoon of letter writing today. I got a leather writing case for Christmas, so I've got loads of paper -- and the urge to write letters.
I hope you got your rise you wanted. I may get one soon, too. When it's your birthday you get a rise, so I should get my rise next month. By the way, when is your birthday?
I am still a member of the disco club, but I haven't been there recently. I started going ice-skating just before Christmas, and although I have only been twice, I'm really enjoying it. At least only fell once last time.
I look forward to seeing you this year. You are very welcome to come to my house too! Jeremy will be able to tell you where it is.
I have been trying to organize our holidays for this year. We originally wanted to go to Jersey, but my brother and his wife are moving house, and they can't afford to go to Jersey for their holiday. We think we may be going to Bournemouth again, or maybe Torbay instead. I had sent an application for some brochures and accommodation lists.
I have been reading a book called Dummy by the author of Shaft -- Ernest Tidyman. It is about a negro in the ghetto in Chicago who is deaf and dumb, and he has been accused of murder. The book tells of all the court proceedings. I don't know yet if he is guilty or not, and I have nearly finished the book! Maybe you have seen the film or read the book!
My workmates are planning a night out soon. We enjoyed the evening so much when we went to see Showaddywaddy that we have booked to see The Drifters at Barkley Variety club in March. There will be about twice as many people going this time though, so it should be great fun!
I have saved up some of the money I have earned and I am going to put it into an account at a Building Society. My parents also started saving for me when I was a baby, so I am going to invest that too! Soon I will have saved up enough to be able to come to America.
Speaking of drinking (or writing of drinking) I don't drink a great deal. My favorite drink is Port and Lemon. One evening, some time ago, Alison knew I was drinking, and when I heard the phone ring, and I answered it, and I heard a voice, in American accent say, "Hi there, this is Dona here, how are you?" For a moment I really believed it was you, until I heard a giggle at the other end of the line, and I realized it was Alison playing a practical joke on me. We had a good laugh about it afterwards!
Well, I will leave here, and wish you a very happy (although late) new year.
Very best wishes to you and your family. Keep smiling!
Love, Meg
Note: I wonder if we actually stopped writing to each other after the last letter or if I didn't keep them all. We both had new things on our plates -- Meg with her bank job and me with working and going to college.
Thanks for your letter, and yes I have played patience (solitaire) but I don't think I ever won. Unfortunately I don't know any versions that can be played in the car. We often grumble about the weather over here, but at least we don't get tornadoes. We've had very good weather just lately, but I'm going on holiday soon (July 5th) and I'm just hoping the weather won't change for that particular week.
And by the way, I'm not as small as Jeremy ☺pretends. I don't mind being called Tich, but I am a full 5 feet tall. When Jeremy ☺ calls me Tich, or half pint, I just call him Quackers. [That comes from a children's comedy duo that we used to watched on T.V. -- called Tich and Quackers.
I've got the worst of the exams over now. I took three exams last week -- 2 on the 2nd of June and one on the 4th; but I still have 2 to go. We all have our own methods of revising. When we finish the work that we need to do research for, we have to make sure we can remember it, which is not as easy as it sounds. Over a period of 2 years, we do quite a lot of work, and we have to know it all -- so that if we are asked a question (say something about the eye (for example) we need to be able to answer it without referring to our notes. Learning it all is the problem though -- some read through their notes time and time again -- some take a particular topic and study it repeatedly. I do the latter -- but don't find it very successful. I enter the examination room and find I can't remember anything!
No, I'm not religious either. We often have people (Jehovah's Witnesses) who call round the house frequently, claiming they know everything about God. Even if they did, they can't expect other people to share the same opinion as themselves; and they are quite obstinate when you say you don't want them to tell you all about God.
I hope you do make it over here next year. Jeremy ☺ knows where I live, so you can come over and we shall be able to see who we're writing to!
The party sounded to be quite a fiasco. I remember going to a dance about 18 months ago, or rather I got to the place where it was held. It was held at the countdown disco at Harrogate. We all arranged to go by coach, and everything was paid for previously, but the 'fly in the ointment' as it were, was that there was an age limit at the party. You had to be 18 to get in, and myself and 4 other people were not allowed in. Although there were many others that were under age, they all appeared to be older -- so the five of us that were left stranded, had to find our own way home -- by train!
Perhaps you could tell me about your schooling system. I gather you get credit for different subjects throughout the years, and total them up, and a certain number of credits means graduation. Am I right?
The bank I shall be working at is in Horsforth; not far from where Jeremy ☺ lives.
I'm not sure what gnomes do in gardens. Perhaps they just guard all the flowers or the people!! I've never seen one to ask!!
[9:47 pm No I wasn't at the Fourth of July dance last year, and I don't believe we met to speak to. I met Jeremy ☺ when he first came into the sixth form, nearly a year ago (September '74). -- 9:49 pm]
You see -- I answered the questions in 2 minutes -- do you remember saying I had five minutes to answer them!!!
I'd love to meet you if you come over next year. I'll have a word with Jeremy ☺ and tell him to bring you over.
Jeremy and I tried to tidy up Mrs. Kent's garden last week (the old lady we visit occasionally). The garden hasn't been attended for years, and we started by cutting the grass, with shears -- the grass being too long to use a lawn mower. Then we found a concrete path hidden in the depths, and even a border for flowers, so we attempted to make that work reasonably -- by the end of the day we were beginning to wish we had never offered to do it. Jeremy worked hard, and blistered his hand in 2 places.
Mrs. Kent also has a tiny kitten, which was a stray. It's very likely, but quite timid.
I still have some more revision to do for Maths, so I'll pip, pip! and say goodbye, although I don't have a bowler hat and umbrella! So bye for now.
Love Meg
P.S. I wish you all the luck in the world for your graduation day. (And for college and your future teaching career)
Bye -- Love Meg
Note: I wonder why Meg put a smiley face after Jeremy's name most of the times she wrote it
I'm getting lazy again, you know! Not writing letters when I should, but at least I have an excuse this time; I'm too busy revising for the exams. Help!! I think I'm going to fail. My parents and teachers keep telling me I'm not, but I think I am. Oh, who cares, I've still got my job even if I do fail. Do you know what? I'm scared! Help!!*!!?!!! [Oh shut up Margaret, you're making nothing but a mess of this letter].
I'm sorry Dona, I got carried away then (not literally). As you can probably tell I'm getting slightly worried. Everybody here is like a nervous wreck. We usually have a good scream together and a grumble. Alison (you know Alison Lancaster) had a practical music exam yesterday. She had to play the clarinet, and sing, and take a dictation as the music was being played. She was very nervous before she went, and she wouldn't say much when she came out, except that she had been too scared. I was sitting in the library yesterday (doing anything but work) and laughing with my friend who just told me she walked into the wrong room that morning and suddenly stopped because she couldn't work out where she was! She thought the room looked unfamiliar. Honestly, we all go mad in this place eventually. The longer you stay here (the 6th form block) the dafter you get. Jeremy ☺ has been here a year, so he's not quite as mad as me (thank heaven) but he soon will be. By the way, thank you for your letter. It brightened up what had previously turned out to be a bad day.
Sorry about that, I had to leave off for a lesson, besides I was in a strange mood before, so it's just as well -- I had to stop. Anyway -- hello again. I did my thank you for your letter, didn't I? I can't quite remember. I hope you enjoyed your first cousin's baby shower.
And it's a pity you knew about 'Soylent Green' before you saw the film, and speaking (or writing) of John Jones -- I gather you feel the same way about him as I do, but joking apart, I hope the school went OK.
You know -- when I read in your letter that your home was open to me any time, I felt warm inside. It is a very kind gesture, and I'm very very grateful. Unfortunately I don't have enough money as yet, but when I start working at the bank, I shall save my money until I have enough to come.
And I did OK in the Latin American dancing, I passed the stand and for Bronze medal and I am now working towards my Silver medal.
No, I don't like Alice Cooper either, but some of his music is OK. Jeremy says he doesn't like him either. When I told Jeremy about the spider scene, he shouted Ugh! and shivered. Perhaps he doesn't like spiders any more!!
I hope the tea party went well for your teacher/friend. It must have been very crowded with 70 people. I also hope the bus driver found homes for the kittens you told me about in the last letter. An old lady I sometimes visit with Jeremy has a mania for stray cats. She had 12 in her home at one time, although she now has only 4 cats, plus one recently added kitten. I think I'll visit her this afternoon and see the new addition.
I went dancing a week ago last Saturday, and saw a demonstration by two professional dancers. They were very good and the girl was only 16 years old.
Nothing else has happened here since my last letter, apart from that I went dancing. Unless, of course you want to know what I have been revising. I found an old exam paper this morning, all screwed up at the bottom of my school bag; it doesn't belong to me, and I shouldn't really have it now. Oh well I'll think of some excuse to make.
Anyway, I'll have to go now and do some work.
Bye for now, Love Margaret (Meg) ☺
Note: After speaking with my cousin yesterday it seems that Meg did not visit the US and stay with her like I thought she had. That was someone named Joey.
First of all I must apologize for not writing sooner. You must have thought I'd forgotten you -- but I hadn't. The truth was I just couldn't get down to it. I don't have any excuse really, but I just couldn't find the time. I'm sorry! anyway, I guess I should make up for it by writing a long letter -- so look out!
Thank you for your last letter, I really enjoyed reading it, especially that bit about Macduff chopping off Macbeth's head. The play sounded good -- very interesting. I saw a good film about two years ago called Soylent Green. It was supposed to be America in the year 2014 (I think) when the population is expected, according to the writers, to be so great that they even had to use human bodies for food. They mashed them up and made them into little green tablets called "Soylent Green". The people were fighting to get food, and when the supplies for the day had all been sold the people were warned to get out of the way before the 'big truck' came. The people didn't have time to get far though, because a big yellow truck came with a shovel on the front which was used to 'scoop up' the remaining people and tim them into a lorry where they were masticated until they were a pulpy fleshy mess. These were the people that were used for food. Needless to say, I felt sick after the film.
In answer to your question about my having connections with our respective postal systems, I wish I did; the system in our country is often appalling.
I wouldn't say that Jeremy frightened me with your photographs, you're very nice looking, but don't scream when you see the photograph I've sent. It was taken in one of the large stores in Leeds about two weeks ago. I'd just been walking in the wind, and my hair was a real mess. I'm not smiling much either, am I! But I guess I was tired by then. I'll get some taken later, and I'll smile for you!
You say you hope I've done well on the exams I've just taken! Well, I passed three out of five of them -- but unfortunately you need to pass them all. You have to get 40% or above on all the papers.
I'm sorry about the sweet cigarettes, or sweet candy as you call them. I remember when you came over to England last year with the other people from your school, I was serving drinks in the sixth form block and someone asked for a candy bar. It took me a while to realize what he meant.
Have you got your snowmobiles yet! I hope you have fun on them, but be very careful!
Also when John Jones (I think you know him) came to England last year, he joined us on a Biology excursion, and kept asking to stop so he could take pictures of the "English cows". And Devon is certainly very beautiful. When I was on holiday in Devon I stayed in a village which had only three shops, one school, and about seven or eight houses.
I haven't been to Tintagel, but I would like to go there. A composer (Arnold Bax) composed a piece of music called Tintagel which depicts the island in question. I haven't heard the music yet though, I've been told it's very good.
By the way -- Alison Lancaster is no relation to Nigel Lancaster.
And my birthday was number 18. Actually, I do know Vilma Crossfield. She lives not far from me on Broadgate Walk.
I saw your friend Cindy when she came to the school, too! She seems a very nice girl, and Jeremy tells me she is very much like you in many of her ways. She told us all about your education system, and I think it's better than ours. You have a wider range of classes, where we specialize in only two or three subjects. Your system prepares you for everyday life, rather then for one specific job. Cindy asked me if I had ever thought of going to America and I said I would love to, if only I could afford it, but I have decided to save up and try to come over some time later.
I got an offer from National Westminster Bank, after my interview and I've got a job to go to in July after my holidays (vacation). I'm looking forward to working for them.
I took my stuffed frog to school with me last week (or was it the week before). I call it Ossymum Dias -- of all names.
Yesterday I entered for my bronze medal in Latin American dancing. I was told I had done well, but I don't know the mark yet. You need to get 65% to pass, and you need 85% to get Distinction, that means you've done very well indeed.
I went to see a play at Leeds Grand Theatre a few weeks ago -- called Under Milkwood. The play was quite well acted, and very funny. It depicted the characters living in a seaside village underneath the woods, including a very stiff schoolmistress, a blind sailor who remembers his two wives in his dreams every night, a man who is continually playing the electric organ, and many other people.
However, I don't think I have anything else interesting to tell you now. So I'll leave off here and write again soon.
Bye for now. Take care of yourself.
☺Luv Margaret ☺
Note: I don't remember what play I saw with Macduff chopping off Macbeth's head unless it was Macbeth. As for Soylent Green -- I don't remember that part at all. I thought people were humanly killed. Very interesting about the English education system. I didn't remember some of that. I don't remember that Cindy visited Benton Park. Under Milkwood sounds familiar. (Oh, that's because it is a Dylan Thomas poem.)
I'm here again. Thanks for your letter; I really enjoyed reading it. Your young brother sounds like a typical eleven year old, or like most of them are over here. Jeremy showed me some photographs of you on Friday (31st). I soon recognized you. I couldn't remember what you looked like at first, although I knew the name well. Well, I've finished with exams for a couple of months. so I can relax for while. I've only got the results for my Maths so far, and I've only just passed, so I have a lot of hard work to do before June, as I want to get a good grade. We haven't got the Biology results yet. I heard on Friday that Jeremy got top marks in Art; even more than the people that are a year older than himself. I think he'll do very well in his 'A' levels.
Anyway, how about you? Are you keeping ok? I hope so and your family too.
It was my Dad's birthday yesterday and my brother and sister-in-law came over for the evening. I bought my dad a book, and some talc, and a packet of sweet cigarettes! Don't laugh -- I'm serious -- like (my mum and I) have been trying to stop him smoking so much, so I found an empty cigarette packet and filled it with sweet cigarettes; he thought it was quite funny. Anyway, we had a few drinks last night (I'm quite partial to Port and lemonade) and my brother and his wife stayed for the night, and I think they're stopping all day today. We always have good fun when they are home.
Jeremy told me about the T.A.P. It sounds quite interesting. I wish we could do that type of thing, but we don't have time. We tend to go deeply into a limited number of subjects, which often makes us quite depressed. Still, I haven't got long to go now; only until July this year. Then I leave and get a job. I want to work in a Bank when I leave, and I've already had one or two interviews with banks in Leeds. I would like to work at Lloyd's Bank, but I'll have to wait and see if I can be accepted. I wouldn't really like to teach children. I mean, I like children very much, but I don't think I'd have enough control over a large class of children. It also means going to college; and I think I've had enough school life already. I would rather go out to work now.
The boy I dance with, when I go for lessons, is leaving at the end of February, so I'll be without a dancing partner. He works for an agency, and moves around the country doing different jobs. He also part-owns a boarding house on the south coast of England, in Weymouth, and is trying to get work down there so he can go back to the house every week-end to get it ready for the guests.
We've booked our summer holidays this week-end. We're going to Paignton, at Torbay, again on the south coast. We've been going south for our holidays for about five years. We've really fallen in love with the southern countryside, with the big fields that stretch for miles, and the narrow roads that yo can only get one car down; if you meet a car coming the other way, one you you has to back up. There is plenty of night-life though in Torbay, which is a group of towns (Paignton being one of them) situated around a sheltered bay. It really looks picturesque. I can't wait to get there. My brother and his wife are coming too, so David can take over the driving occasionally to give my dad a rest. It's about 320 miles to Torbay, so you can see this is important. We can travel about half the distance on Motorway, which still has speed restrictions, but the rest of the journey will be interrupted by slow-moving traffic and traffic-jams. That's the penalty you pay for going near the height of the season. Most people take their holidays between June and August, and we're going at the beginning of July. Never mind, I'm sure we'll enjoy it all the same. I'll have to write off now, Dona, to wash my hair, so I hope I h ar from you soon. Bye for now.
Margaret
P.S. Course I don't mind you calling me Meg; but I get so used to signing as Margaret. Anyway, I like being called Meg. Thank you.
Note: The T.A.P. program was for high school students that were in danger of failing or dropping out but I chose it because I wanted to get a head start working with elementary-aged children since I planned on majoring in education in college and going on to teaching.
It is so apparent in these letters how more difficult and structured the British education system was over the education system in the US.
I hope you don't mind me writing to you. I'm not very good at writing letters, so beware! Anyway, Jeremy's told me a lot about you, and I'd like to meet you, mind you, it would be ages before I could save up the air fare to America. Nevertheless, it's nice to be able to write to you.
I live at home with my parents. I do have an older brother, e's 20, but he's married and lives in Leeds. We used to argue a lot but since he got married, we've got on really well. Jeremy's probably told you I'm a year older than he is, so I face 'A' level exams this June. Like Jeremy, I take Biology, but I take Mathematics too. I don't go out very often; only on a Tuesday night, when I go dancing. I take lessons in Ballroom dancing for one hour, then join in the social dancing. It's a very good night out.
By the way, many congratulations on winning your scholarship. It must be quite and achievement. Jeremy told me about it, you must be very clever.
I think we share an honor in knowing Jeremy. He's a very nice boy. Everybody here at school likes him, he's so easy to talk to.
Now for my brother, David. He married Hazel last year, and they bought a house not far away from where I live. Hazel's really nice, it's like having a sister, which is something I have missed. My brother works in insurance. He, too, took 'A' levels in Mathematics, Physics, and Art (like Jeremy). He's very clever; much more than me, and he's doing very well in his job, having just been promoted.
However, I shall have to go now, I must do some revision for the 'mock' exams next week.
Take care of yourself!
From Meg. (Margaret Wilson)
P.S. I told you I wasn't very good at writing letters. Mind you, if you've got this far, it can't have been too bad.
Bye again.
Note: Regarding the scholarship. I don't think it was at all merit based -- but need-based. My folks could not afford college tuition so I got a free ride with the Illinois State Scholarship Commission. I could have gone to any Illinois state school but my parents didn't understand that the commission would also pay for tuition. The only thing they paid for was books.
