Abolition

It was another pretty unremarkable and boring day, and I struggled with a general feeling of insignificance. In Assembly first thing I got a mention for Saturday’s rugby efforts. Barkston read out the match reports and said that I’d played “excellently” which made me feel really pleased, but then when I think about it, I bet that it is just Farrar’s way of making me want to play regularly. For the first two periods I made half-hearted attempts to write up my debate speech for tonight but inevitably, what with the distractions all around, I got nothing done. Deborah was away and during first period Lee and I went into Gilthwaite to buy milk, sugar, coffee, etc. Sleet and rain. Lee, Duncan and Jeremy looked a real set today; Lee was wearing a red velvet bowtie, Jeremy his canary-yellow jumper and Duncan a pair of ridiculous baggy velour trousers. In the afternoon I wrote up a (pretty average) speech on the reasons for abolishing the monarchy, the immorality of wealth inequality, etc., and I managed to get around two hundred words.

Debating Society was quite well attended for once, and before we began Mr. Scott put forward the issues I’d raised with him on Friday, that we needed to elect a President and a Secretary and keep records of all the debates. Jeremy, Robin Quinn and Steve were nominated for President and Jeremy was elected with 15 votes. Steve got 2 and Robin 0. Steve was nominated unopposed for Secretary. The debates went OK, Ingham commending everyone on the quality of their papers. Throughout all the pro’s and cons I sat without opening my mouth and we voted 12 to 9 with one abstention to abolish the monarchy. This was my fourth debate and I’ve won one, lost one and two have been undecided. It turned out to be quite a successful alternative to “Sex is For Adults Only” after all. I got home after 4 and could only sit and think about Michael B and Tony Megson down at No. 55 with Claire.

At eight I was asleep on my bed when the ‘phone rang and Mum woke me. It was Grant Riley, and he asked me if I fancied going Youth Hosteling in the summer as he “couldn’t face” another holiday with his parents. I said OK and also arranged to go across to his house on Sunday at 1. Tomorrow there’s a CND meeting at the Windmill in Moxthorpe, and Jeremy, Lee and I plan on going.