I was born in Walsall in 1940, the middle one of a large family with six sisters. I acquired the ability to tell stories from a very young age around the dining table at mealtimes. Mother, always needing to keep control with such a large number of children, insisted we all sat in our allotted places at mealtimes. It was in these situations that I would entertain the family with accounts of my adventures and escapades of that day. Either at school or anywhere else I might have found myself. These accounts were always embellished (not necessarily untrue) but certainly embellished if only to make them funnier. Sisters are a great audience; their laughter served only to encourage me to more and more stories. I left school at 15 and signed up as an apprentice electrical engineer. After completing my apprenticeship, I moved around a number of different companies, always doing electrical type work: electrical repairs, electrical maintenance, or installation. By the time I reached my mid to late-20s, needing a more controlled life, I joined a large Midlands-based company. Over the years, I rose through the ranks to become plant manager. I married about the same time as joining that company, which was some 53 years ago. We have two children (one of each), grandchildren and a great-grandchild. All in all, we are very content with life. I've been retired 16 years now. I still have a good number of friends and associates, and we still venture out socialising several times a week.