The Generation X Files

When I was two, my mum left me sitting in the back of a taxi for a few minutes. She ran inside to get something she’d forgotten.

When she returned, the bewildered taxi driver exclaimed, “Jesus H Christ! Was this kid vaccinated with a gramophone needle? How do you switch her off?!”

Soooooo, it’s safe to say, I was chatty! But more than that I was always asking “why?”. I was never satisfied with answers like “just because” or worse, “because I said so”.

I also liked to sing.

All. The.Time.

Especially, as will become apparent, to (at?) a captive audience.

I was a little parrot and could remember lyrics easily. I also had two mischievous uncles who encouraged me to “Sing bairn sing! Sing like Lena Zavaroni!”. So I did.

I got my dad banned from the local bookmakers. I was singing Money, Money, Money by Abba. At the top of my two years old lungs. During the horse racing results.

A year later, I was belting out (Sing If You’re) Glad to Be Gay by Tom Robinson Band. To some puzzled but smiling passengers on the upstairs of a bus. My poor mum sat next to me. Still, it could have been worse. I also knew the lyrics to Ian Dury’s Plaistow Patricia!

I was……not shy.

I was the inverse of Saturday’s child, more hard work than hard-working.

I was an inquisitive child. I wanted to understand everything.

I slept with a dictionary next to my bed. I read every night before I went to sleep. I had to know the meaning of new words I found in my books.

Almost 50 years later, I’ve grown out of the public singing. But, I’ve never been able to stop asking questions. I have always wanted to understand……everything!

I hope I always will.

Citizen Jane x