Mundane facts about your day...

Status
Not open for further replies.

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
While you might think that is a difficult call I'll put it in some sort of perspective from my point of view. In 1970 I was in Durban, in summer. A really nice city with a good climate and a huge beach sitting on a mighty Indian Ocean. At the time I was working for Marconi, and on visiting the depot there to get some spares I got to talking to the manager and after about half an hour, he offered me a job !!
The reason was I think not because I'm particularly clever, but because South Africa had a desperate skills shortage, shipping services were a vital resource and of course I was the right colour. Apartheid ruled at that time.
To be honest I gave it some serious thought, but one day while the ship was in drydock getting its bottom scrubbed, I went down to the beach, even though I'm not really a beach person. When I got there I saw a sign pointing to one side that said 'Whites Only' or words to that effect.
I decided that country wasn't for me …. it would be like living on a time bomb.
Can't help but think if I lived on the wrong end of the stick in a system like that, it might just bring the terrorist out in me too.
 
Last edited:

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
I was thinking proud to have a job where @Carole actually got to meet famous people.

I did meet plenty of famous people on a regular basis.

I make no apology though of being immensely proud to stand next to Nelson Mandela.

Like @BobClay I have also visited South Africa during apartheid and experienced first hand the humiliation of the black nation. Segregation in everything.

The demonstrations taken in the name of civil rights were violent to the extreme, but at the time, there was no other way to get the message across.
Yet, when he was released, Nelson Mandela bore no malice, but only wanted to move forward in peace.

I’ve also visited Robben Island where he was imprisioned. I saw his cell, I learned about the history.

South Africa certainly has its problems now, there’s no denying that.
But Nelson Mandela, in my opinion was a truly great man.
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
Reminds me of a flight that I did from Cape Town to London in the 80’s.

I was working in business class and the flight was rammed.
A commotion occurred before take off because a British black businessman was sitting next to a white South African.

The white South African was proclaiming very loudly that he couldn’t sit next to a black person.
It was awkward and extremely embarrassing.
We explained that business class was full and no other seats were available.

He demanded “GET ME THE ON BOARD MANAGER AND FIND ME A SEAT IN FIRST CLASS.”

The Cabin Service Director arrived and knelt down next to the white South African guy.
“I’m sorry that you’re not happy with the situation. I’ve checked the load and we do actually have one seat left in first class”

As Mr South African gets to get up, the Cabin Service Director then turns to the black passenger. “So, Mr Thomas, if you’d like to follow me, we have a first class seat waiting for you”

The whole cabin cheered.
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
Got any good Cilla Black stories?

Hell Yes!!
Or no, not really.
Actually to be fair, she was never a passenger on one of my flights, but her reputation preceded her.

My colleagues said she was very rude, offhand with the staff, had a very foul mouth and was very unpleasant.
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
Hell Yes!!
Or no, not really.
Actually to be fair, she was never a passenger on one of my flights, but her reputation preceded her.

My colleagues said she was very rude, offhand with the staff, had a very foul mouth and was very unpleasant.
My mum used to be on stage, and met Cliff Richards many years ago. She had always been a fan of his before , but immediately went off him after that meeting! Said he was most rude as well.
 
Last edited:

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
I was in a Dublin hotel lift with the New Zealand All Blacks, and then eating breakfast with them.
Only discovered who they were afterwards whilst telling someone I'd met a lot of giants ( at 5'2"my head only came to their waists:lol: )
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
While working as a junior reporter for the Staffordshire Advertiser in 1964 and 1965 I interviewed Screaming Lord Sutch while he was doing a gig at the Borough Hall, (I think his band was called the Cavemen or something like that.) I also met and interviewed Sonny Boy Williamson, an American harmonica maestro, in the Station Hotel, which was kind of sad as he was well pickled and looked not well at all to me. (What he must have thought about being interviewed by a gormless teenager is a mystery to me.)
I did telephone interviews with Lady Antonia Fraser as her husband was MP for Stafford at the time. This was before she ran off with Harold Pinter, (I always sort of admired her for that.)
My claim to fame … such as it is.
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
I did telephone interviews with Lady Antonia Fraser as her husband was MP for Stafford at the time. This was before she ran off with Harold Pinter, (I always sort of admired her for that.)
They used to live in the same road as us, although I was too young then to really realise who my parents were on about.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top