Today is my birthday!
And I'm going back to when I became 17.
The 9th of July 1984.
I had my first driving lesson at midnight.
It was behind the wheel of a very powerful Ford Granada 2.8 Gear.
We kangarooed around the local industrial estate close to where I lived.
To go midnight driving, I left 50 party animals celebrating my birthday during an epic house party. Friends still talk about it now.
A crazy party some would say, for many reasons, but mainly that it was on a Sunday night and we almost all had school or work the next day.
My parents had jetted off on holiday* and left my brother and me home alone.
I can imagine what you're thinking.
How on earth was he in any fit state to drive a car at midnight, four hours into his blockbuster 17th birthday party?
Well, it’s worth noting, that on that night I had drunk pint, after pint, after pint…
…of Diet Coke
17 was a magical age.
A weird one.
You were old enough to drive, but not to vote.
Deemed mature enough to join the army but not to drink alcohol.
But everyone drank.
Just not me.
I drank ‘DC’ as I called it. All I wanted was to pass my test so I could drive my mates to nightclubs.
I was the designated driver until I was 23.
Yes. It was a magical time.
I bet there are some stories you could tell from being 17?
What knowledge would you share with your seventeen-year-old self or what did you get up to aged 17? Please post your ideas on the 'What did
you do at 17? post' here.
No regrets?
As it’s my birthday, I’m obviously going to have some fun on today’s LIVE at 5.
And I’ll also share with you a little-known fact about that night’s midnight driving instructor.
Be Brilliant!
Michael
PS * when I say 'jetted off' Mum and dad were actually staying in a Methodist Guest House on the south coast. I don’t think our lives could have been more different on that Sunday evening.
