Just About Me 10

My next job was at a company called Golden Ltd, they were based in Berkley Sq, W1. Their main business was as a subsidiary of L'Oriel they supplied women's hair and beauty products. I worked in the stationary and post room with a guy called Gerry, Gerry was about 40 years of age and loved Radio 4, he had a friend who worked in a local restaurant named Roylio, now with a name like Roylio I am sure you have all cracked on that he was gay, although in 1971, gay meant happy and frankly if the seven dwarves had walked in Roylio would have felt happy. He used to terrify me, he had a habit of turning up when Gerry was out and I used to grab a large paper knife, and at the time convinced myself that if he came near me, he would have got more than he bargained for.
Gerry was a very boring man as well, so after yet another 3 months I moved on again.

Key Employment never let me down, they fixed me up with a local firm of Solicitors, Bellamy, Bestford and De Lattre. They were based in Uxbridge Rd, W12 and I was there new messenger at £13 per week, I had to go to the Law Courts in the Strand to file papers for action, Somerset House to obtain marriage certificate's for divorce hearings and to Barristers Chambers in the Temple. I used to really enjoy the train journeys and the sights, one day I was in the Law Courts reading the daily events, when I saw a prison officer with a guy handcuffed to him, the guy was fiddling with the cuff's and somehow managed to slip them off, he ran as fast as he could straight out the door and up the Strand to Freedom. I don't know if he got caught or not but it was a dramatic escape to watch.
I lasted about 18 months in that job, and only left because they would not give me a pay rise.

Just About Me 9

The 2nd August 1971, a monumental event in world history, I started gainful employment,  I got the job via the Key Employment Agency, in those days you could get a job really easily, I had four in one day once, but that's another story. My first job was at 20th Century Fox in Soho Square, London W1, I was 15 and the office junior. My wages were £10 per week and at the end of the week a chap came round and put my wage packet on my desk, I nonchalantly glanced at it as if it was a non event, but inside I was bursting to get it opened, My take home pay was £8.78p I had never had as much money in my life. When I got home my Dad asked me if I had been paid, I got my wage packet out to show him, "You've opened it" he exclaimed and then burst out laughing. I gave my Mum £2 a week keep, was meant to save £2 a week and had £4.78 a week spends. The savings must have lasted all of a month I reckon, but I do remember actually having money left over at the end of the week.
I remember the boss was called Mr Howard and another guy who worked there Joe, Joe taught me a valuable life lesson, whenever we had finished a piece of work or accepted a delivery, we had to sign either it or for it, I signed my name clearly, "Don't do that" said Joe "Just do a bit of scribble, then if it all goes wrong nobody knows its you that has cocked up" I still to this day scribble on things.

I had been at 20th Century Fox for three months when, one morning I got up and was a bit fed up, I guess the hours made you fed up having been used to school hours and suddenly being thrown into an all round eleven hour day,  I told my Mum and she said " Its not like school you know, you can change your job if you want too". Well that was that then, I walked straight in and gave my notice in. When I got home I proudly told my parents of my actions " That's great " said my dad  "Where are you going to live". Well as you can imagine this took me back a stride, he then carried on and told me bluntly that " If you have no work to go to next week then you better find somewhere else to live", this of course was another of life's lessons, never leave a job before you have another one to go to.

He also told me another great lesson, and one worth noting, whatever job you have there will be a fiddle, it could be Goods, it could be Money, it could even be Time. Well he told me to make sure that whatever it was I was to make sure I got in on it. Well I truly reckon it has been the best piece of advice he ever gave me along with "wear a condom"