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Saturday 17 February 2007

Rugby

James returned from a birthday party this afternoon with Max, having had a most unsettling conversation with one of the other fathers. Apparently School 1 does not play rugby, and James therefore has decided that Max will attend the 'local comprehensive you pay for' when he reaches his teens. OVERMYDEADBODY..................

James and his family have all manner of unrealistic expectations for my munchkin. James has a cousin who until recently played regularly for Wales. This is not the path I have chosen for my boy. No, no, no...

As a teenager, a local boy called Michael was a joy to behold on the rugby pitch. He would flounce about - all floppy hair and dark good looks (a bit like Simon Le Bon), and the girls at my school (myself included) would swoon simultaneously with delight. His physique was the hi-light of our Winter months.

I remember vividly, the time he was tackled roughly on the field of play. Michael's mother appeared from no-where with an enormous black steel tipped golf umbrella. Mrs Ferrera set about the boy who had tackled her teenage son, while poor Michael squealed like a baby and rolled about on the turf. Instantly he was dethroned. Michael became a figure of fun for the entire locality overnight. No-one dared to socialise with him - for fear of his mother. The poor chap.

I could be this woman - his mother. I know it. Why does James not realise the monster I could become? Just let anyone try to tackle my darling boy........ A cauliflower ear is the least of the injuries I would inflict. GRRRRRRRRRRR.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

It looks like School 1 is Alleyn's then, since the "comp you pay for" (sic) is well known locally as Dulwich College!
You are wise to choose school 1 in more ways than even you can imagine, wise one.

dulwichmum said...

Please Townleygreen - tell me more? I need as much support as I can muster, and I fear from your tone that my son has more to fear than cauliflower ears.......

Anonymous said...

It depends what your son is like. If he is a tough thick-skinned type with a strong touch of arrogance then the school that does do rugby might suit him very well. On the other hand, if he isn't all of those things, then I would send him to school 1. The latter turns out very well-rounded young men and women in my opinion. These are, of course, generalisations (that is my health warning!).

dulwichmum said...

Dear Townleygreen,

I just hope that we get a place in School 1, when Max gets to try out at age 7. He is definitely the sensitive type. Thank you.

Zoal said...

tell me -why is D/C "the comp you pay for"? (well the latter part is the obvious bit.....and I suppose if you go to one of the more traditional public schools the former would be too...but in dulwich its the bees knees isnt it??)

dulwichmum said...

Dear Zoal,

Please forgive me, I am probably being thick here - but I don't follow. Are you asking me why 'the comp you pay for' is considered to be the bees knees locally? If so, I think it is simply the rugby.

Anonymous said...

I believe this expression originates from amongst the boys of DC. Yes I agree it seems strange, considering the wonderful main buildings and the lovely site. But be aware, it is no longer the "bees knees" even in Dulwich. It regularly gets defeated in those tedious league tables by a co-ed school in East Dulwich which is a far better school IMHO. DC is however regularly chosen by those who are more interested in a posher name or the quality of buildings rather than in the quality of the education their sons will obtain from attending it.