A Groovy Education with Bev and Carol

Bev and Carol are chane Summer in France' and 'Bunny on a Bike'.

 Episode Eight

Astronomy practicals – Saturday 9.00am to 12.00am (shouldn't it be at night?).  Why did I choose this option? Maybe because only (obligatory) science subject that didn’t incite fear and knee trembling.

Bloody hard work/utterly fascinating (suspect some of it made up viz. ‘singularity’ – not falling for that one).  First assignment returned last week (Evidence supporting Big Bang),  B- Pleased with it. 

Walked in.  Raining.  Fluffy jacket killed.

Julian (study partner) worried I wouldn’t come.  Bounded up like giant poodle.  Nearly broke/choked me with fragrant hug. 

Dr. Maddison tolerant of bimbos and excessive makeup (Julian’s, not mine).

Today’s subject – star spectra.  Julian effervesced on spot. ‘So pretty!’ 

Looked for dark lines (absorption lines) on spectra (all colours of rainbow – Julian beside himself).  Difficult at first.  Categorising types of stars – not ideal Saturday morning activity.  Then EASY.  Hot ones, cool ones, red, blue, white.  Doppler Effect – LOVED it.  Considered changing degree course.

Prof BRILLIANT!  Dr. Ron Maddison  - friend of Sir Patrick Moore and ace teacher.

First person (apart from Dad) responsible for life-long interest in astronomy.

Carol’s for tea.  Only ever drank tea. Carol – infinity cups per day, strong and hot (tea).  Toast (must be hot/not burnt). 

Room similar to mine.  Bemoaned location off campus. 

Nosed into wardrobe.  Jumpers, jeans.  Lack of dresses.  Boots (sensible).  Scarves –mystery to me (still are).

Description of new buddy: bit taller than me (5’ 8”), bit slimmer than me (no measurements available/allowed), bigger nose than mine, bigger brain than mine.  Funny, (brash at times), easy-going, hard-worker, hater of literature, destroyer of pretensions. 

Talked.  Discovered: one year younger than me, from Devon, one sister, one brother, parents perfect (teachers), good at maths/physics.  No serious boyfriend (love of life, Marc, French, split up six months previously).

Invited Carol to Room following day for rice pudding fest (she has homemade jam).  Hooray!

Happy days.

To be continued…   

Bev and Carol are characters from my two (soon to be three) humorous memoirs.  See right side panel for direct links to Amazon.  'One Summer in France' and 'Bunny on a Bike'.