Decide to leave dog behind. Break the news to it. Dog cries. Crumblies shout at it to be quiet. Decide to take dog after all.

Sue Townsend 1946 – 2014

I remember being presented with a green large hard bound book by my mother and being told “Read this, I’ll think you’ll like it” and thus began a 20 odd year love affair with Adrian Mole.

It felt like Sue understood clearly the teen angst we all go through – are we liked? Does he like me? My parents hate me and want me dead.

The moment when Adrian decides to run away in The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole spoke volumes to me. I too have packed a bag of clothes (pondering over if six pairs of knickers will be enough on this journey), left a note and walked out. I only ever got as far as the end of the road before my dad would pull up in his Nissan Micra and tell me to get in.

The above quote always used to upset me, as I too used to wave goodbye to the cat and then come back and try to somehow get it into a bag to take with me. Now this means something else to me. I want to say goodbye to the black dog, but he always comes along for the ride.

Thank you Sue and Adrian. I don’t think I would have survived my teen years if it hadn’t been for the laughs. I’m going to download the complete back catalogue when I finally get my kindle back and revert back to being a teen. Perhaps without the awful floral leggings and slightly less mad hair.