Children of Forever

I got to school normally and almost immediately went into Gilthwaite for a pint of milk, with Lee. The mocks meant that a lot of sevenths were out, and everyone was in the library. Claire told me that she had something to tell me and would do so in History; it’s quite funny really how she tells only me these gossip-items, and doesn’t let anyone else in on them. Much to Duncan and Jeremy’s amusement, she asked me if she could “go with” me tomorrow night to Hainsworth to see “Murder in the Cathedral.” I felt good.

History went off as expected, Ingham telling us about Stalin’s rise to power in the secretariat in 1918-22. Claire’s gossip was something about Tony M. and his pathetic rumours about people; why they bother with him I don’t know. After dinner and History once more, I had a free period, but it was depressing really because no one was about; Claire went to her job at two o’clock and Deborah sat there morosely. Lee drove everyone mad with his mouth-organ.

About a dozen people turned up for the debate. I proposed that we postpone it until next Monday but no one would second me. The low attendance made me feel easier and more open, and I reeled off my speech concerning our moral obligation to our colonies. Robin’s was, as usual, blatantly biased and pseudo-revolutionary, Steve’s was OK, and Duncan’s racist. Steve and I got into an altercation over separate cultures; he said that pluralism would cause greater violence, to which I said that Jews had been accepted, but Asians wouldn’t be because of the colour issue alone, rather than simply because of cultural differences. I got quite heated at some points, and although occasionally I was out-argued, I also think I scored a few hits. Amazingly enough, Craig Priestley and Sally Akhtar voted for me, but I lost. I still feel morally I was right. Priestley gave me an anti-cruise missile leaflet which I signed along with half of the sixth years.

Afterwards, I went into Easterby  to Smiths, to take back my scratched Grover Washington LP but I couldn’t get it replaced, so I bought Stan’ Clarke’s ’73 import, Children of Forever instead, but almost immediately regretted not keeping the Washington LP.