I just found the blog on Mirfield memories. I did not see any mention of me which I found strange as I thought I was rather notorious. However, I recalled all the names mentioned. That and other things I found about Mirfield – Verona Fathers(Comboni Missionaries) brought memories flooding back. I had thought that I was the only one that went through experiences at Roehead; apparently not! However; at that time I had no reference for what happened. My father had died and some may recall that I was expelled with Michael Rumbles for really an inexplicable reason. My mother met with Fr. Frazer who was visiting with his parents who lived in Glasgow. The expulsion was changed to a suspension provided I complied with certain things upon my return to Roehead. Things continued and it was suggested that I go to Sunningdale to study for the brotherhood (hey; that’s a laugh – a few of the brothers that were there told me that they had been in the mafioso). Anyway, I survived another year of torment. I went on summer vacation and I applied within days to join the Army, Air Force and Royal Navy. I was accepted and joined the Royal Navy (I had no option but to join the forces as I had to leave without gaining any ‘O’ levels and essentially dropped out of school. Some may recall that it was impossible to find a reasonable job in the United Kingdom without ‘O’ and / or ‘A’ levels in those years).

My experiences continued in the first year in the pusser. Thereafter; I learned things but never has anyone to talk to about what had happened so I went on with my life. In later years I listened to a very notable philosopher who said what has happened in the past is in the past and cannot be changed; look to the future. And, what someone did to you, you did not agree with. They were doing their thing and you were in another place (I wish I could recall the exact words as they are so profound). Anyway; I decided that this was true and through meditation I managed to put those memories behind me and move on.

However; Mirfield had inflicted a different type of trauma that has held me back to a great extent. Before going to Mirfiled my IQ had been assessed at 205. During the events at Mirfield and Sunningdale I was failing in most subjects. Then the dropping out and absence of ‘O’ levels. I had been accepted in the RN as an Aircraft Handler (aircraft marshaller, firefighter, air traffic controller). Upon graduation from the Aircraft Handler course they told me that the job was way below what i should be doing so they assigned me to be a commanders assistant at RAF Honington working on intelligence packs and the like while they tried to figure out of they should retrain me in aircraft maintenance or as a medic. After six months they decided that they should send me aboard a ship to evaluate my abilities as a working aircraft handler. I worked as a “chockhead” for six months on the flight deck of HMS Ark Royal when they told me I was too clever and intelligent to be a “chockhead”. I was then assigned to work in Air Operations planning the ships and especially the ship’s aircraft activities. After three years they had to assign another rating into that position so they made up a position for me as ship’s liaison / visits planning. What a good number I got to plan all the recreational activities while the ship was in port; Disney world, Bush Gardens, Anheuser Busch brewery, arranging flights for those homeward bound and family visits while in foreign ports. Although pusser was good to me I decided to leave as I was really fed up with being away from home. I was assigned to the SAR at HMS Gannet (Prestwick) near my home in Easterhouse, Glasgow for my final six months. Who did I bump into there? Gerrard Duffy an oppo from Mirfield who was working as a medic.

My commanding officer tried to get me to re-engage; obtain another ‘O’ level as he thought that I was officer materiel. However; I left the Royal Navy and stumbled into the Scottish Ambulance Service as a driver / attendant. I worked at SAS in Glasgow and Kirkintilloch for five years before I decided to move to Canada with my mother and brothers in an effort to become a paramedic (did not exist in UK at that time – 1979). I got partial comparability as an ambulance officer and worked as an EMCA (Emergency Medical Care Assistant) part time and three other part time jobs while I attended the now Humber University first of all in the nights and then during the day. I graduated as the top student with a 99% average, on the deans list, summa cum laude and winner of the Ontario Ambulance Operators Association award for high academic achievement and professional leadership. I was working for a provincial ambulance service when I stumbled into becoming a manufacturer’s agent for a number of American medical product manufacturers. This presented a conflict of interest so I started working as a paramedic full time for Toronto EMS. I worked at my own company full time and as a Toronto paramedic full time. Eventually, I started to invent mostly medical products. I patented my first invention an infant / child restraint for use in ambulances and you can now find a version of it on most western ambulances.

After a bout of suicidal depression and a number of motor vehicle accidents I took early retirement in November 2009 at age 55. My mother went into cardiac arrest and was unfortunately resuscitated in December 2009. She was on life support while I tried to persuade them to remove it. She passed on in April 2010. In May 2010 I moved to Colombia, South America. The cost of living is so much lower than Canada that I could actually survive on my disability pension plus the weather is so much better and does not affect my arthritis. I continued my business as an inventor and paramedic consultant while in Colombia through the Internet. I came back up to Toronto last May (2013) to collect my six month supply of medication and expected to return there within two weeks. However, first my doctor told me that I had a heart attack while in Colombia which led to her sending me for various tests and then to the cardiologist and then to the cardiac surgeon and then bypass surgery last August 30th. While that was going on Revenue Canada (the taxman) who I had been in dispute with seized all my money and froze my bank account. So; I am stuck in Canada at this time waiting for finances to recover and also for permission from the various doctors to head south. However, I may not return to live in Colombia permanently. I may move to Belize, Chile, Peru or Costa Rica.

Thus; I was passing the time on the Internet and stumbled upon this blog. If anyone remembers me (I used to clean the college cars instead of playing football and avoided playing football or played in jeans and wellingtons or boots) and would like to communicate with me they can write to me at sirdavid@sympatico.ca.

Oh; yes, I know my written English is poor and Mrs. Delia (lilac hair) Patterson would be so disappointed, but so is life.

Besos y abrazos to all.

David Anthony Brooks