Monday, January 28, 2008

Dear me

This letter is written to my thirteen-year-old self. Thank you Marie for the inspiration.

Dear Kate,
I suppose I should start by saying that the tragically, romantic death that you thought you were going to have at fourteen obviously didn't happen, although you only just made it. This era was perfect for you - punk and the new romantics fed your gothically challenged wardrobe and the effects can still be detected today.


The move to Cornwall next year is every bit as bad as you think it is going to be.You will stop crying (eventually) but just to let you know that your boyfriend didn't cry for very long and was having his wicked way with that tart up the road in under two weeks. Dad never forgave himself from dragging you away and it might be prudent to let him know before his last few weeks on earth that it really didn't matter and that Cornwall got into your blood quicker than he thought.


I suppose I could warn you off a lot of things (your sister will pay you back for stealing her platforms) but like your eldest Fecker, you always have to learn things by taking the long way round. You will have your first cigarette this year, an illicit Silk Cut with your best friend in the park. Unfortunately the cigarettes lasted longer than she did although you still keep in touch today even though you are continents apart.
I could maybe warn you off more illegal substances but your 'try before you die' theory seemed to lead to quite an interesting period in your late teens.


That foul maths teacher was wrong. You are quite good at figures but it will take you another thirty years to believe it, but please give up on the piano now as you really weren't very good.
Strangely enough you will remain attached to that netball skirt you wore at school - you are more sporty than you look. Speaking of looks, you will grow into that weird face (at about 30), and yes, you're chest does get a bit bigger but your hair gets worse (stop crying).

Oh, and you know those funny scribblings that you have started to do, well....

.

pee ess - I tag every single one of you

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

dont remember a netball skirt.Remember you just had to have a pair of pointy lace up grey boots.

Anonymous said...

You dont seem to have many regrets Ms Minx.. which is nice.

Unknown said...

Love this minxie, will be thinking about a similar letter to myself at 13 too over the weekend.

Unknown said...

Pointy boots, not much changed then!


I don't waste time or energy on regrets, Muts, but someone will regret the fact that I have just polished off last nights chickpea curry!

It was quite a thought provoking process, Babs, thirteen is a precipice age.

Roberta said...

I like the angle you took on this. I'm thinking of my own, but I don't know where to begin. It's much harder than it looks!

It was nice to meet the younger Minx.

Queenie said...

What a great post, something to remember to do, if you don't mind me nicking it! I like the 13yr old Minx, we didn't think to differently.

Unknown said...

Nice one Minx, but in my case not much happened until I was 38. Eight years ago today! Squash.

Unknown said...

Roberta and Queenie (hello there your Maj) - have a go, it's quite therapeutic!

I am glad that your humour wasn't squashed out of you, John G!

Jon M said...

Silk Cut eh? Whatever happened to No6?

Loved this post...I'll give it a go after the 5 million other tags I've got to get through! :)

Unknown said...

Oh yes, I had forgotten about No6 and Embassy Filter, and Gauloises when you were feeling a bit flash . The bloke in the newsagent used to sell them to us one at a time! You wouldn't see that today, would you?

I can remember getting clipped across the earhole by a policeman who caught us smoking in the park. I don't think that would happen today either!

Debi said...

Consulate for me. Cool as a mountain stream. The menthol taste was enough to convince me it was more a sweetie than a fag ....

Taffiny said...

I like this. Light yet layered.

Jan said...

Loved this and really appreciate the great way you write re yourself...
I too know people who have to learn stuff ( as you say) " The Long Way Round"....

Unknown said...

Crikey, Debi, you were posh!!

Thanks, Taffiny.

Thanks to you as well, Jan. This was quite a good writing exercise apart from the trip down memory lane/path/extremely muddy track!

Karen said...

Ooh, I like this and may pinch it, if that's ok - with a link to you, obviously :o)

Still waiting to grow into my weird face...

S. Kearney said...

Brilliant, Minx ... if not a little sad. :-)

Anonymous said...

It was you ,you little bugger that started me smoking.I'm happy to say I kicked the demon weed 5 years ago.I dont use half as many Rizzlas now:-)

Unknown said...

Pinch away, Karen, and enjoy!

Sad, Shameless? I expect all thirteen-year-old's are a bit on the morbis side - don't think I was any different! I got over it once I discovered humour.

Good for you, M, I on the other hand...

Anonymous said...

I asked my son who was 9 at the time what he wanted for christamas more than anything in the world and he wanted me to stop the fags.Could'nt say no really.

Marie said...

Loved it, Minx!

Pearl said...

cool idea. You'd give spoilers to your young self. I wonder if I would.