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The Walls We Build
1. I was an excellent sprinter when younger and still am, all things considered. More about this in #9.
Before my 13th birthday, and in my first year at secondary school, I ran the 100 metres in 11.7 seconds. Once only, though. I never managed that time again, no matter how much I tried. It was a one-off life event.
2. In Mansfield, where I was born and grew up, my best friend’s family were the first to have a Betamax video. We watched The Way We Were with Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand more than 35 times, and would re-enact key scenes whilst working as glass collectors in the local pub. I’d always play Redford’s Hubbell, my mate taking the part of Streisand’s Katie – she was much better at accents than me; she had Katie Morosky’s voice and mannerisms off to a fine art. The Saturday night Mansfield beer-drinking masses loved our impromptu improvisations. The scene we reproduced the most:
Hubbell: “I don't see how you can do it.” Katie: “And I don't see how you can't.”
3. In the last year of A levels, my English teacher entered my (first ever) short story into a creative writing competition. It was shortlisted as I remember. I didn’t write another short story until I was 43 years old.
4. When I left Mansfield to go to university and the bright city lights of London, I dyed my hair jet-black (I’m a honey-blonde in my natural state, although with streaks of grey these days, like a mallen streak.) I also had it beaded – full head. My first evening out in Covent Garden an American tourist asked if she could have her photo taken with me. I really did think I’d arrived.
5. During my first summer at university and as part of my degree course, I travelled to Seville to learn Spanish, together with other students in my group. It was hot in Seville, 48 degrees Celsius in the shade. No one goes there willingly in August (I think our course director got a good deal with timings.) There’s a good reason it’s called The Frying Pan of Europe. So to escape the heat the 7 of us decided to hire a car and drive to the coast in Portugal. The car we hired seated 5 people. Having zero money between us, we slept in the car. All 7 of us. For 3 nights. Oh, the stoicism of youth!
6. At university I drank dry cider with a mature student we called Dickie Bird. He was a passionate about his politics. John Bird later went on to found The Big Issue, a fact I only processed when I went to an author talk at the Hay Winter Festival, where I finally met him again, signing his biography.
7. When working as a waitress in London (to top up my student grant) I frequently served Craig Charles (Red Dwarf fame, I’m showing my age…). He told me I should be on TV. I told him I’d be better behind the camera. I had a secret ambition then to write. I do wish I hadn’t waited so long.
8. On holiday in San Francisco and my boyfriend dared me run across Golden Gate Bridge. It was rush hour. I made it across with no mishap (well, maybe a small one – my hat blew off in the wind and so I had to run across again to retrieve it). It was only later I realised that running the width of the bridge was, a, probably illegal and b, cameras were no doubt in place. On returning to the UK my boyfriend asked me to marry him and I often wonder if this had been some sort of test.
9. I’m making a quick detour back to #1!
When my daughter was 7, I went to cheer her on at the school sports day. On rocking up, I discovered there was to be a Mums’ race; this was the time before political correctness, before parent races were banned due to the competitiveness of the parents… I’d thought that all the mums, like me, had only become aware of the race that day. Half an hour before the the 100-metre sprint, the participating Mums trooped off back to their respective cars… to pick up trainers, which were – very handily I thought – waiting in the back seats.
One of the Mums pulled out running spikes… That day I was wearing my summer sandals with 2-inch platforms. I decided to run barefoot. I won, and metres ahead of Ms Spikes. My now 19-year-old daughter says it was one of the best days of her primary school life.
10. I completed my first novel at 45.
Jules Hayes’ is publishing her debut historical novel, The Walls We Build (Jukebox Publishing) on 23rd March 2020