Contact with Huw after 20 years

To much surprise, I received an email from Huw Davies a couple of days ago. I had sent him a message via the Friends Reunited website back in mid February and had probably not expected to get a reply. But there it was. One or two emails later and we had arranged to talk on the phone during today.

It is nearly 20 years since we last met and I had some concerns as to how it would be to talk after all this time. He was, without doubt, my best friend when we were in the sixth form and it has often been a source of regret to me that we lost touch. He rang mid morning and despite my worries, everything went really well - indeed it was almost like old times talking together.

It is possible that we may have talked for close to two hours. I am not planning to say here in detail what it was we did talk about, but it covered what might be taken to be the usual things one would cover in such conversations - what we've been doing all this time, who are we still in touch with, etc. But there were also a number of other points that have, I hope, very much reestablished our friendship. He may be coming over to the UK in a few weeks time so I will try to see him then in Kenilworth. Failing that, a trip to Frankfurt might well be on the cards.

There is no doubt that it means a great deal to me to have Huw as a friend again - my only concern is that he heard I was trying to get in touch because Andrew Belgrove visited him and knew about this blog (as I mentioned him in an earlier entry and he had done a google search on himself). I should check I didn't write anything unpleasant about anyone in that previous entry!

And one bit of sad news - apparently Joanne Styring died in her early 20s. She was the second girl I ever kissed - on a memorable night at Kenilworth Rugby club in October 1979

In case Huw is reading this, here is a diary entry from many years ago

A Blast from the Past!

Tuesday January 5th, 1982

Went to see Huw this afternoon with the book on Genesis I bought last year. He is very bored and is already considering returning to Portsmouth early. He is also planning to come to London on the 14th and we have arranged to meet at St Catherine's House for lunch. Belly came round to Huw's around 3:00 having just got up. We are planning to go to a party tomorrow night at Stable's night club. I am planning to drive and take everyone else.

Belly said he had seen Sue Steven last night, as had Huw. I wish I had! Huw say's she is into sugar daddies at the moment - "every actress should have one" apparently. Huw seemed less enamoured with her than in the past - I'm sure I wouldn't have been. Huw kept making jokes about how Sue claims to have been out with a famous director and how she'll probably be in panto this time next year - "Puss in Boots" would be very suitable we all thought.

Kevin rang this evening from Darlington and is hoping to come down tomorrow and stay till the weekend

Addendum

Huw and I failed to meet in London the following week - instead that day I saw John Kenneth Galbraith lecture at LSE

We did go partying at Stables that next night - apparently I tried chatting up Julia Braithwaite while my diary reports that Huw pursued "Laura" - would that be Laura Robertson? My diary doesn't say. Apparently he failed to score before he thought the party went on longer than it did and he had been taking his time.

Sue Steven was a year older than us and had worked with us at the Bear and Ragged Staff. She had left Kenilworth in January 1981 to live in London and hopefully become an actress. She was one of the most stunning girls I have ever met. Rather memorably, a group of us made a short film during the easter vacation of 1980 and Sue played the female lead, with Huw as her suitor. It featured a great scene shot on the traffic island in the middle of town and remains my only director credit. I was quite good friends with Sue and she is, even today, the person with whom I have had my longest ever phone call - 3hrs 25mins. As we often said afterwards, we would have been better off just going round to see each other. I have no idea if she ever got anywhere as an actress

The Kevin referred to is Kevin Bornstein, an American who I was good friends with throughout the Sixth form and who (very importantly) got me the job I had at the Bear and Ragged Staff at that time. He stayed for four days before having a night at Huw's. I didn't see him and again till 1989 and haven't seen him since.