It wasn’t the summer of 69 br It was the summer of 68 br A levels br Leaving school br Suddenly the map of life changed br School bullies puffed up on hormonal bravado br Were now like amateur men br John Marshall br A school bully br Who, strangely, I got on with br Me with my sticky out ears and buck teeth and skinniness br Him with that rascal look br Him who’d got two B’s br And me with my 4 A’s br Summer br Hot – at least for England. br br We’d all got our results br No more school uniform br Eighteen br But still sitting near the kids’ playground br At ‘the Marsh’ br We’d grown up there br Been kids there br And now the great divide would come br Me – university to study maths br Him – he had no idea. br br Forty years later br Him – a mental health nurse in Leeds br Me - a mental health patient in Gosford br What happened to that divide? br To that parting of the ways? br Had we just taken different paths br But followed the same journey br Though to different destinations? br br The sun’s now shining in Australia br But it’s wet and cold in Leeds br I think he may be happier br For not wanting to succeed.