Arbroath

Seaton Cliffs, Arbroath. Very pleasant on a mild and dry day in September. I look NE across the wide Tay estuary to these cliffs on my morning Tanya walks from Barbara's house South of St Andrews.

Arbroath is also a part of my history as I was stationed here at HMS Condor for my basic Fleet Air Arm Air Mechanic training in 1966. Part of HM forces accepting me for service, given my miserable academic acheivements at Grammer school, not the best place in 1966 for an undiagnosed dyslexic to end up, was to attend, and wait for it, 'Backward Mathematics' classes.

In those days the system for coping with such stigmatisation, bullying and harshness (these days the latter very correctly re-labeled as 'abuse') was 'get over it and move on'. For me, at that time, despite such a military climate, those 'Backward Mathematics' classes were to have a profound affect on my future life.

Today I repeatedly hear, or read about 'those who have made it' referring to an influential teacher or mentor in their early life. Someone who gave them self confidence and belief in themselves. Well; my big burly bearded Petty Officer 'backwards mathematics' teacher was to some extent my early mentor. He was the first teacher I came across who accepted and encouraged me. He made maths simple, understandable and fun, something I had previously never experienced.

I remember him, and the few weeks of tuition well. He encouraged me to further self study via 'Maths made simple' books which I did. Now I'm not saying I became a maths wizard and it still took a further 22 years before I dared enter further formal education. That was when I commenced training as a mental wellbeing counsellor. But those few short weeks of empathetic backwards mathematics teaching gave me a confidence I did not have before and which I subsequently used during my career of wheeling and dealing with the canny skilled and mathematically adept farmer/dealer community.
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Right now I am even further up this beautiful East Scottish coast. St Cyrus beach, Montrose on a warm sunny blue sky no wind autumn morning. A morning to be welcomed with a long beach walk and leisurely breakfast.
Next week I move west again for my Endoscopy appointment at East Kilbride hospital. Who knows what will be the outcome of that. All the more reason to put the kettle on again and enjoy another leisurely coffee in the sunshine.