In advance of snow
Swindon
Okus Road
It’s March, and unexpectedly, very unexpectedly, my Uncle Don turns up on the doorstep.
All the way from Australia.
There’s a song in there. Somewhere.
I remember this because it was snowing in March. And that was two very surprising things to have happened on the same day.
It’s the same Uncle Rowland who played at the Mechanics.
The splosh, the foxtrot
The waltz
A pineapple juice in a small glass glass
Dancing with my sisters, my school teacher, my mum and dad.
Driving back
Swindon
To Baydon and dad switching off the car lights in the tunnel
And seeing it snow on full beam headlights – crazy snow falling falling falling
Falling, Jo falling like crazy skittle.
Advance warning,
Red alert
PVC skirt and footless tights.
Dying pointe shoes blue and feeling radical. Not being allowed to wear them for class.
I want to do contemporary ballet.
What’s that?
I don’t know. Not being able to describe it or even name a company but that’s what everyone wanted to do. And so did I.