We are Leeds

Sometimes its good to go back to where you came from

Yesterday

M1 gridlocked

Drive to my home city

Leeds

Hostile

Lunch date

Three old pals

Three different paths

A lot to process

Jobs for the boys

Braserie Blanc

Backing on to Asda House

Steak as tough as leather

Picpoul de Pinet was better

A lot to talk about

Warm embraces

Chance meeting with daughter

A walk through Leeds City Market

Let's avoid the motorway

Drive through our yesteryears

Get me back to North Yorkshire

Exit the city centre 

Under New York Road

I told my dad they had that beam wrong

Up past the Irish Centre

Hang a left

Gipton Police Station

Oakwood Lane

Cross over Easterly Road

McDonalds - not in my day

Descending into Oakwood

The Clock, scene of many scenes

Dave the man

Gledhow Lane

Roundhay School

2nd team rugby

6th form

O levels

Shame Liz Truss ruined it

Davies Avenue

The Drive

Nicky, Janet, Louise, Arthur

All my old friends

Past the tennis courts

Up to Street Lane

No time for Flying Pizza today

Hang a right past the Mansion

Cross the Ring Road 

Shadwell Lane awaits

Up the hill past Blackledge mansion

Lights at the top congestion

Facing the Dexter

Tight turn right

This road was so significant, now so small

Top of the Hill

Used to get the bus from here

Snow and Concorde

Late Seventies

Scouts

Skip’s House

Gentle descent 

Footpath to Roundhay Park

Christian’s big white house, still there

Tunnels in the garden

Descend to Shadwell village

The Red Lion

Same as it ever was

Park up and soak it in

Shadwell village stores still there

Someone’s built some houses on the cricket pitch

No surprise there

Up the hill

Paul’s mum’s bungalow

Fish and Chip Shop

White Lightbox sign with red letters

Same as it always was

Round past the Male’s 

The old Primary School

Now we’re really getting to it

Village Hall

Scene of 70th surprise

Ronnie Hilton

There was a mouse

St Paul’s Church

Wedding Bells not for me

Thompsons sweet shop

Not there anymore

But you can

Stick your curly wurly up your arse

Dunlop Green Flash

6 of the best

He wasn’t amused

Ash Hill Drive

Strickland Close

Significant addresses

David and Mary

Pat and Steve

House still there

Memories are distant

Extension, overgrown

Down to Auntie Margaret house

Exit Shadwell

That was a lifetime ago

Wetherby Road

Next comes Scarcroft

Footballers

Collingham

Disco scenes

Around Boroughbridge

Onward to Ripon

Press on Northbound

Home, eventually

How come we remember these old places so much larger than they appear to us now? 

The roads, the significant buildings, the school tennis courts, an important junction or road you walked so many times; the bus terminus, the family home…..

You spent so much time there; you are still so invested in….

It’s good to see them after 40+ years.

Really Good.

The drive home made the rubber steak so worth it……