That meme

The fragrant Winchester Whisperer has tagged me along with some more superior beings for the meme that is doing the rounds.
In case it passed you by, what were you doing when:
1) JFK was shot
2) Gazza crying in 1990 semi-final when the shootout was lost to Germany
3) Maggie resigned
4) Princess Diana died
5) The twin towers collapsed.

I feel in quite exalted company. I know at least Iain Dale and Guido have also been tagged. Guido's was a bit un-informative ( mostly can't remember or too young) Iain's was, I thought rather better.

The youngest Miss Lear, whenever I mention something from my past or youth, invariably accuses me of making it up ( for example she doesn't believe I ever lived in Germany or used to play the trumpet), so, despite what she may think, here are my memories.
1) JFK. Despite appearances to the contrary, I was a school boy at the time. We were getting ready for bed in our dormitories when the news was brought to us by a prefect, who clearly thought it important. I'm afraid we all shrugged our shoulders and continued discussing the prospects for the rugger match the next day.
2) Gazza. I always thought of Gazza as a genius, albeit unable to control himself. Mind you, I think it's the "quirk" or "flaw" that actually makes a genius. As it happens I was sitting in the garden and walked in to the kitchen for a top up, and turned the TV on to see what was happening. Constitutionally, I can't stand watching finals, shootouts or any other kind of sporting endeavour for any length of time, as I go balistic when someone being paid GBP100,000 per week misses the open goal, drives his golf ball into a bunker, misses a simple putt ( Saunders miss all those years ago still gives me nightmares - especially as he took it again and dropped it straight in the cup) or bashes the tennis ball straight into the net. So Mrs. Lear can calmly watch the tennis whilst I fume elsewhere. Anyway, I saw the miss and then the tears. Ghastly.
3) Maggie. I was sitting glued to the television with the radio on, trying to get the latest news. I kept shouting STAY! But it was not to be.... As an aside, I was shooting the next day with a man who was a heavy gambler, and from his carphone ( still quite a thing at that time) he bet GBP1000 on Hurd. I told him he was mad and Major would get it. " Do you think so? " he said, and promptly put another GBP1000 on Major.
4) Diana. I was in bed with Radio 2 on overnight as I always do and picked up the first inkling I guess about 4am. When I awoke Mrs. Lear at 8 with breakfast, I was able to give her the news.
5) Twin towers. I was at a meeting in Glasgow in connection with a company selling American hotel rooms to UK travel agents. When I got back to the office it was being shown on the internet. Needless to say the company selling hotel rooms went from a profit of GBP150,000 pa to a loss in 3 months of GBP180,000.

So there you have it. Not very exciting I'm afraid, but then, I guess we all yearn for a quiet life...