Day 12
Southampton University
There was an actual banner draped over the barrier at the gig tonight. It was like being in Five or something, or Another Level. Or 911. I forget what it said on it.
I often say I come from Southampton, because it is less middle class than coming from Winchester. The truth is somewhere in between (somewhere in between Southampton and Winchester) because I actually grew up in a place called "Chandlers Ford", which does not have an apostrophe, or any kind of nightlife (unless you count searching for discarded porn mags down the Lakes).
Chandlers Ford is one of those nothing places the south of England specialises in. It has a poncy name and a lot of charmless five-bedroomed houses in developments called 'Miller's Dale' and 'Kuntry Kotygiz'. It was briefly famous in the Eighties for having the highest divorce rate in Britain. At one time it was something like five in every three marriages breaking down. People were getting divorced after the first date. I'm divorced and I've never been married.
Nothing happened while I was living in Chandlers Ford that would give you an insight into the kind of place it is. That's the kind of place it is. You want adventure and excitement, you better go down Eastleigh. They have a roller disco there.
Matt was reminiscing about it tonight. It's the first time I've ever heard the 47 bus getting a rousing cheer.
