Well, I was born a long time ago when no-one knew what cerebral palsy really was and local doctors (Townsville, Qld) would scratch their head at my strange way of walking and talking, and once, when I could not keep still for a hospital nurse who was trying to treat an injury, I was abused for being naughty. While I did attend a kindergarten, the state-school system refused to accept me - so be it, I just had to get on my own way. When I eventually learned to ride a bike, I was able to earn a few shillings delivering papers (it was a particular area of Townsville that no-one else wanted). Later I got another job washing glassware for a biochemical laboratory - again because....  In my mid twenties I met a couple of university students who were on vacation. They suggested that I aught to a university course. While I was pretty hazy as to what this entailed and asked how was I to get admitted without a high-school certificate they replied, "Easy, just sit an Adult Matriculation exam.  In the excitement of the moment I agreed to give it a bash and if I did not make it to university within one year I would give the whole somewhat crazy idea away. 

My next step was to approach the local high-school headmaster for advice on how to matriculate.  He asked me had I done Junior (Grade 10) and I said “No,” and so forth right down the list. He sighed and gave me some old exam papers and a list of books to study. Wow!

Well, that was a long time ago.  Yes, I made the grade to university the next year, met a lovely girl who agreed to become my wife, and as such, she accompanied me to England seven years later where I spent a year as a Leverhulm post-doc fellow.

Now, many years have gone by and I am long retired from a teaching post at my alma mater university.  Sadly though, I am bereft of dear Annette, but then, there is our daughter, son-in-law, and wonderful Perry.