I spent most PE lessons in my final year practising my guitar. I can't claim to have been very talented at that either, but I was less of a danger to myself and others in a warm practice room than on a muddy athletics field. Although at the time I believed that I was putting one over the teachers, in retrospect I'm sure they turned a blind eye out of sympathy!
My most (in)famous incident was during Year 9 Cross Country, an activity I loathed more than anything else. Donna Scully and I were, as usual, a long way behind the rest of the group, sauntering rather than jogging through the woods near our school. At a certain point along the route, there was a left turn to get back to the playing field. Everyone else was well out of sight, including the sports teachers, and we completely missed this turning.
We realised, after about half an hour, that even at our pace we should have completed the course by now and that we were totally lost. It was a cold, drizzly day (yet another reason to hate X-country) and there were not even any dog walkers about so we just kept walking until eventually we reached the canal and knew where we were.
We arrived back at school over an hour late (the alarm had been raised by then) cold, aching and very VERY embarrassed.
We were marched, trembling, to the Headmaster. His office in those days still featured a cane prominantly displayed in the corner, though it had not been used in my living memory. I assume we must have managed to convince him that it had been a genuine error, not an attempt to bunk off, because we weren't punished. However our friends and the sports staff never let us live it down.
This story was brought to you as part of Sian's Storytelling Sunday. It's a scheduled post so I hope I've got the right date! Would someone mind linking me up please, as I'm not here to do it. Thanks ever so!
15 comments:
Cross cointry...argh, hated it too. in fact, as i got older, we used to stop and have a smoke half way round from a stash in a badger's set!! Great post K!!
Actually Kirsty, I followed your link and realised that you hadnt been linked yet, so I tried, but the linky thing wont work for me because I use Safari ( it said so, so at least it explained!) will leqve a comment and asks for someone to link you!!
Cross country was horrible wasn't it...we used to cheat but taking a short cut through the woods!! Brilliant story.
Our PE class was limited to games on the ball court and I am grateful for it because I would have gotten lost running cross country too..
Great story!!
Kirsty, I am right there with you! I can completely relate to this story - I must be the worst runner in the world and the poor old Small One has inherited her Mum's lack of talent. Our school cross country runs had names like the "meatpacking factory run" and the Graveyard run". Makes me shudder just thinking about it. A brilliant sporting tale!
I would have happily linked you up - I often help one or two out with a link, but I'm happy to see someone else got here before me :)
Thankfully....cross country was not on our curriculum.....hockey was bad enough!!
Fantastic story! I hated cross country too - I always came in last!
I hated sports too...and played my 'asthma card' very often, to get out of things like running!
Alison xx
I'm sure they were more worried than angry by the time you showed up.
Rinda
Yes, Rinda is right ... I hated cross country runs as well - loved team sports, but that run .... urghhhhhh!
I was no good at x country either and the English weather never helps!
Oh yes I still remember the cross country route we had a school....straight past the bus stop on the main road. Great story Kirsty, I felt your pain.
Oh Kirsty, what a funny story. I was never athletic either, but I always remind people that I did get a letter for my letterjacket in the ACADEMIC decathlon!
I got a big chuckle out of your story. I am the same way... lacking in athleticism. I can't deny I actually honestly used to sneak out of things during PE... and was never caught. I got a kick out of the innocence of your walking off and almost getting in trouble. Great story!!
I am with you there, I didn't like sport either. Unfortunately for me I came from a sporting family and so I had no choice but to keep playing no matter how bad I was. I played tennis for years and to this day I still either hit the ball into the net or over the fence (you know, the one that goes around the outside of the courts!). Glad you didn't get punished.
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