Mike Baldwin

I´m in Spain
I had to come away because I just couldn't bear to be around for Mike´s final decline. Thanks to Birdy I can keep in touch here.

Mike Baldwin and I go back a long way. I knew him when he was a young shaver who employed Vera and Ivy in the raincoat factory. That reminds me, Ivy died recently - in real life. Do you remember Ivy Tilsley? She´s the one who got sacked from the street when she turned up with Lesley Ash lips long before Lesley Ash had them.

Anyway, I read Mike´s reminiscences of his long career on the street. One thing rang true - he said ´We used to mess around on set, but there´s no time for any of that these days´.
I remember ´messing about´, we used to call it ´fun´ or ´havin a laff´´. It was the opposite of tense, stressed out or miserable.

My ex colleague Jack was a great prankster. Staff, students and bosses all enjoyed his antics. In 1995 there was a change of management and a year later he was sacked. He took his case to a tribunal where they used his ´pranks´in evidence against him. In many workplaces people are looking over their shoulders all the time. OFSTED is not renowned for its gsoh.

Mike entertained us well. I hope he enjoys his retirement.
KAZ