One Man's Revolution by Dan Todd

Author:Dan Todd
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: dan todd, unions, revolution, corruption, socialism, worker, proletariat
ISBN: 9781909143623
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited
Published: 2012-10-09T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

The idea did not seem risible to me at the time. On one level I felt burned out. I had tired of constant political arguments and debates. I had also tired of living in something that was not much more than a hovel and had aspirations of getting the sort of job that could get me out of it.

I had lived in Limes Grove Lewisham for seven years. The rent was remarkably cheap because the amenities were slim, to say the least. The place was so cold that in the middle of winter I considered abandoning the bedroom in order to try and keep the front part of the flat warm. The windows were pathetically fitted and the heating in the bedroom was not much more than a wall-mounted hand warmer. Mind you, I didn’t do myself any favours. The window in the bedroom, which was in an old metal frame, was broken during a storm and I didn’t bother to get it sorted out, instead boarding it up with an old painting.

The flat downstairs had been diagnosed as having dry rot and when they finally got round to repairing it they had to remove half my living room floor, leaving me to exist virtually entirely in the small kitchen. The work was supposed to take two days and ended up taking about six weeks. After the workmen had left I discovered they had stolen a small amount of money and my chess, pool and judo medals.

As a single man, I must confess I did little to enhance the place. When the sound went on my television rather than replacing the set, I cadged a portable telly off a friend. That set did not have a picture, so I used to tune the two together getting sound from one, vision from the other. When the same friend stayed with me for a while he donated me a kettle because I did not have one.

I probably shouldn’t have been as poor as I was. I was spending a lot of money travelling to see Charlton and of course much of my spare cash was going down my neck in liquid form. But at least I was aware that the lifestyle was no good and I wanted out.

The idea of working for the UCW excited me no end. I knew that I would have to tone down my politics, but at least everybody from the boss down would have the interests of the workers at heart, I told myself.

I was given a two-year contract by the UCW, although it was made clear that such contracts were usually the precursor to a more permanent arrangement if one’s nose was kept clean. I didn’t intend to do just that, I intended on making myself part of the fabric.

The job I was initially given was in the typing pool, but the system was that you came out of the pool to cover sickness and leave in the various departments as a secretary. Eventually a

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.