Penguin History

Yesterday was the Squire’s birthday so I popped down with her gifts – a cuddly penguin back pack and a cuddly penguin cd holder - with which she was delighted. We have been exchanging penguin type gifts since we were flatmates in 1982 and this is why.

Shortly after an acrimonious split with Seamus Murphy*(see Kiss of Death) I discovered that someone was setting up a mixed Cotswold Morris team. Seamus having been of the (erroneous) opinion that women shouldn’t dance I therefore joined up almost entirely out of spite. Then I found out that I enjoyed it hugely and carried on until I got a slipped disc and had to stop dancing for a year or two. The team’s official name was New Tyne Morris (after the Theatre where we practiced) but soon became known as the Dancing Deckchairs because of our kit.

A few months in a young North Walianº joined – let’s call him Richard Burton*. Despite the Welsh North-South divide, we gravitated towards each other and eventually started going out or, more accurately, staying in together.

It was 1982, the Pope visited the UK and the Falkland’s Crisis happened. Richard was fascinated by the latter event and watched every news item or programme about it. His reason being “There might not be another war in my lifetime”. How wrong can a man be?

It all came to a head one sunny Sunday morning when I awoke in his bed-sit in Jesmond to find him watching yet another news programme about the Falklands on BBC2 or the new Channel 4 or whatever. He had no interest in doing anything interesting – indoors or out. So I got up, dressed in a huff and went home to Heaton in a high dudgeon.

When I walked into the living room I found my flatmate (now the Squire) in her dressing gown, sitting on a beanbag, eating cereal and watching a natural history documentary. The first words I heard were “and the penguins of South Georgia…”

I exploded “Oh for eff's sake! Is there nowhere I can get away from the effin Falklands? There’s him back there doing nothing but watch the effin Falklands War and I come back here and what do I get? Effin Falkland Island effin penguins.”
Not surprisingly the flatmate (now Squire) burst out laughing.

A few weeks later Easter came and what did I get from both Richard and my flatmate (now Squire)? Penguin Easter eggs - but hers was in a mug.

Richard is now doing his thing somewhere down south. But the Squire and I still exchange penguins. These have included jewellery, ornaments and a coffee pot cosy.

*The names have been changed to protect the guilty

ºFor those not in the know in English Welsh people divide themselves into North Walians and South Walians. In Welsh it’s Gogs and Hwntwrs (I believe).

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