Before the Classroom- Kristy T & Emma P

Emma and I are sure you’re wondering whose teenage photo is featuring at the blaring front cover of this article. By the looks of the photo, you can see a young rebellious teenager with his unbelievably cute dog…would you expect that it was Mr Cocker in his teenage years!! For both of us, turning 17 soon, we’re reaching the age where we should be thinking about saving up some money. Whether that’s really the case or not, Emma and I found ourselves talking about out first jobs, and then eventually what our teacher’s first jobs were too…

Mr Cocker

In a time before the bubble, where newspapers contained the daily hot topic, Mr Cocker found himself a way to get his daily exercise in whilst earning a weekly sum of £28. From the ages of 13-16, he biked throughout the neighbourhoods of Ipswich as a newspaper boy. He spent his days learning powerful skills, such as time management and how to interact: skills he uses to this day, whilst running debating at RHS.

Whilst on the job he found himself spending an extra half an hour due to an exciting interaction, when delivering papers to the biggest Chelsea devotee on the street (a rare sighting in Ipswich). For thirty minutes each week Mr Cocker had to hold back his true self, being an Ipswhich fan, and instead play the act of a Chelsea enthusiast. However horrifying this act may have been for a 13-year old Mr Cocker, he can now say and confirm that those half an hour interactions are ‘the reason he will never ever like Chelsea’.

Despite the horrors and delights of being able to blow his hair in the wind on his bike, Mr Cocker was promoted within the same newspaper shop to a glorious shop assistant. After three gruelling years of playing along with the Chelsea act, he would finally be free.

Next weeks article: A mystery teacher in E18