Saturday, March 15, 2008

Famous for 15 minutes in the Eastern Diner

Colin and I went for a chinese meal last night in the Eastern Diner.

Just after we had settled in, a Labour Councillor arrived with her friend and sat nearby, shortly after which they were joined by a Labour MP friend of theirs.

Then ten minutes after that another Labour MP and her partner appeared and sat on a third table.

After lots of warm greetings we all got on with eating our meals in our own company.

Then a waitress came over to our table, blushing, and said she wondered if she could ask something. I was expecting her to say something about one of the politicians, was that person sitting over there such-and-such-a-body.

But instead she said to Colin, "Did you used to teach at X school?"

He confirmed that he did, and still does in fact, and she told him she was one of his pupils 15 years ago.

He remembered her because she was extremely clever and went to a top secondary school after leaving his primary school. She told us she is training to be a Doctor at a Liverpool University and Hospital. Colin was suitably proud.

She was so excited that he was there and that he remembered her, she even bought him drinks on the house (he is only drinking diet coke at the moment so she didnt have to push the boat out thankfully). She said she was going to email her old school friends to tell them that she had seen him.

Not only did it put us politicians in our place but it reminded me of a campaign that was running a few years ago about how very important a teacher could be to your life.

I was really proud of him.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Another restaurant to must remember not to go to. Haven't Restaurants started paying you not to review them yet?

Louise Baldock said...

It never ceases to amaze me that someone who dislikes me so much should spend so much time reading what I write and then commenting on it.

I have knocked back your other three comments about your campaign to position Labour as responsible for the murder of a child. I wont give room to your nasty LibDem mind.

It is my blog, and I am the censor, it wont get past me if I dont want it to, so you waste your time.

Anonymous said...

I always mention Wethespoons in my bloggs and have never had a "free lunch" yet, but I do use their handy vouchers get me and Marek a few bob knocked off the bill.

If Ballcock watcher wants to link the high price of petrol to rhys joneses death then I am sure you shoudl not censure this highly illogical but understandable link, after all is petrol had have been cheaper the lad who shot Rhys wouldnt be riding a bike, but probably on motorised trnasport, thereby making Rhys a much more difficult target to hit, so come on Gordon Blair or whatever you are calling yourself these days let's get the price of petrol down to save our Kidz!!

I think I will start calling my self ballcock watcher's watcher, or maybe you can just be frank about!I actually prefer Madame Baldock and Chemical Wendy as aliases

Anonymous said...

I find the Eastern Diner very pricey for what it is - you'd be doing much better along Allerton road (back towards town) and going to the Funk Lok. service is better there too.

Paula Keaveney said...

It is always a dilemma whether to publish particular posts. I have had some incredibly nasty ones posted on my blog (many I have not allowed, some I have let through) prompted purely by malice. I have a policy now that if I think something is libellous, or potentially so, and I can't quickly verify it I don't let it through. As a former journalist and someone who teaches journalism I know more about libel than most!

the problem seems to be that there are two types of negative poster. One is someone who has a genuine disagreement with you on something - these I think should be let through. The other type is someone who is just out to hurt you personally and knows they may have done their job merely by you reading the thing whether you let it through or not. these I think are puerile and wish the individuals doing it would grow up.

It is so easy to set up a blog I sometimes wonder why those who love to spend all their time making comments don't just set one up themselves!

Robert said...

I loved the story, but let it pass. Now seeing the comments I have to say the name of the restaurant never registered. What I did see was the story about the teacher and the punchline.

Deep in history when Ronald Regan was president of America he referred to teachers as 'America's finest' and I liked him for it. If only teachers here got the respect, support and pay they deserve. I have too many friends who bailed out of teaching in the 50s worn down by frustration and dispair at what was happening to themselves and the kids they worked with.

All the new school buildings and better pass marks count for nothing if all school-leavers have is low-paid dead-end jobs or the prospect of huge debts at the end of 3-5 years at university. We need good teachers just like your friend Colin in proper comprehensive neighbourhood schools.

Louise Baldock said...

Laughing at the thought of anyone reading a blog written by some of the low-life who post on here.

- present company naturally excepted