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VICKI
Vicki and I met on 25 July 1995. I started a job as a
receptionist/administrator at the Driving Instructors Association in
Beddington, Surrey and at the time, Vicki was doing the same job 200 feet
down the road in the National Driving Centre. One of Vicki’s duties was to
collect the post from our Manager’s office and we’d exchange greetings each
morning.
Eventually, Vicki asked me out to lunch and we went to the Harvest Home pub
in Beddington Lane.
It was only a matter of weeks before we would arrange to meet outside of
work hours and other places we’d go together included local gay bar, Bar 68
in Thornton Heath for karaoke on Sunday nights, The Hope pub in Carshalton,
TFI’s in Kingston to name a few.
Vicki has a large family and within the first year of knowing Vick, I’d met
her Mum, Jean by her coming round with Vicki one evening, and then later
again several times at her home in Woldingham with partner Julian. Sister
Kate, children Jesse and Jake, sister Lizz and daughter Cerys, Aunty Maggs
and Uncle Dave, cousin Karen, Aunty Irene and husband Brian, her Dad Terry
and partner Julie. I’ve had many happy times including eating Sunday roast
at Maggs, meals at Irene and Brian’s, at Kate’s once when Vicki lived
there. Been to Lizz’s and bid farewell to Vicki when she first went away
for nine months as a hairdresser aboard a cruise liner. Been to Terry and
Julie’s several times and Jezz and I were there to wish Happy 50th
Birthday to Julie.
 One main characteristic that runs through the entire family is sincerity.
The warmth from that makes each of them approachable, naturally happy and
pleasant people to know. The most noticeable being Jean, Vick’s Mum… and
whatever and however she brought up Kate, Lizz and Vick, the genuine care
and affection, appreciation for life and dedication to friendship must have
been instilled in all three girls from an early age. That’s the one
exceptional personality trait that stands out from anyone else I know… Vicki
has developed this totally loyal and trustworthy way with everyone she
meets. No one I know, dislikes her!
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Some of the more memorable moments
with Vicki, in our time together, obviously feature an evening meal together
on 26 October 1995 in TGI's in Kingston, celebrating Vick's 22nd birthday -
I paid... and again at the Purley Way restaurant, 7 years later for my 36th
birthday when she paid.
Here's a diary breakdown of some
of the events that Vicki and I have shared together... |
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8th September 1995 |
Meal: Agra Tandoori in
Surbiton with Irene and Brian |
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14th September 1995 |
Had a few drinks in The
Hope, Carshalton |
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26th September 1995 |
Meal: TGI's in Kingston
for Vick's 22nd birthday (just the two of us) |
|
11th November 1995 |
Went to Vanessa and
Steve's wedding reception at The Liberal Club, Epsom |
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27th July 1998 |
Vick came over and cut my
hair and then bought us a curry |
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14th August 1998 |
Went to the Horse &
Jockey with Vicki. Met up with Sarah & Karen, David Jack & Michael, Chris &
Shaun and Mark and Sarah |
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16th August 1998 |
Went to the Southern
Pride with Vicki. Picked up David & Michael. Met up with Shaun & Chris and
others |
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22nd August 1998 |
Party: Kate's at the New
Addington Community Hall, New Addington |
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30th August 1998 |
Went to the Southern
Pride, West Norwood with Vick and David. Went back to Shaun & Chris's |
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31st August 1998 |
Meal: Doneagles with Vick
(just the two of us) |
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24th October 1998 |
Party: Vicki's 25th at
The British Legion, New Addington |
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15th November 1998 |
Fab night out with Vick
and Lizz and Maggie, Noel, Norma and Emma, Michael and David at the Horse &
Jockey (karaoke) |
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19th November 1998 |
Went to Vicki's for the
evening as a farewell do |
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30th June 1999 |
Went to se Vick.
She'd come back home early, short of schedule, because of meningitis |
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7th October 1999 |
Went to The Apollo
Theatre, Hammersmith to see the musical "Oh! What A Night" with Vick and
Noel |
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27th November 1999 |
Went to Lizz's for
Vicki's 2nd farewell |
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22nd June 2000 |
Meal: Jean's (Mother's)
in Woldingham, with Vicki and Lizz |
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11th September 2000 |
Meal:The Harvester,
Surbiton with Jean and Vicki |
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19th February 2001 |
Went with Vicki to meet
medium, Joan Butler in New Addington |
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21st February 2001 |
Vicki's Granddad died |
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22nd July 2001 |
Meal: The Blue Anchor,
Tadworth with Vicki and Jezz |
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30th May 2002 |
Mum died (we stayed awake
through the night, together in the kitchen) |
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31st May 2002 |
Meal: at mine with Maggs
and Vicki |
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13th October 2002 |
Meal: Sunday lunch at
Claire's with Vick and Jezz |
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7th January 2003 |
Meal: Gypsy Moth, Purley
Way with Vicki, Jezz and Andy |
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7th January 2003 |
Vicki and Jezz drove me
to St. George's with chest pains |
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12th October 2003 |
Went to The Two Brewers,
Clapham with Vicki and Jezz and saw drag act, Pam Ann |
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12th October 2003 |
Vicki stayed the night |
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4th February 2004 |
Vick left for New Zealand |
