Saturday, March 15, 2008

Ambrose Williams

I first met Ambrose when I was 11 years old. It was the sprint final at the Area sports, held at Llanfair Caereinion High School. I was representing Castle Caereinion Primary and was assuming that I was going to win. After all, I'd never been beaten over the sprint by anyone in my age group. Our School was a small school and the races had been over about 50 yards. At the area sports, in the final, I was about 50 yards down the track, already savouring victory, when Ambrose cruised past. I remember being very upset about it. When I moved to the High School the next year, I learned that 50 yards was about my limit. My powerful short legs enabled me to hit top speed immediately, and it took a while for the genuine sprinters to catch up. My best distances turned out to be the 440 yards (about 58 secs) and the 880 yards (about 2 minutes).

Over recent years I've occasionally met Ambrose and we've discussed the day when he visited such destructive disappointment upon me, amongst other things. Well I met him again today, and he started the conversation - in Welsh. Never happened before. In school, he spoke Welsh as his first language, while I spoke none. Every time we've met, in school and since, he's always spoken to me in English. Over the last 7 years, I've worked hard to learn the Welsh Language. I suppose Ambrose has heard me speaking Welsh on Radio Cymru and S4/C. Today he opened up in Welsh, without thinking - and I don't think it crossed his mind to change. I was very pleased. After all these years, Ambrose repaid a little of the misery he caused me, all that time ago.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry, Glyn, but who's Ambrose Williams? I think I've heard of him, so I feel a bit stupid asking.

Anonymous said...

Speak Welsh ?
Must have had a good teacher, I have attended a few lessons, to no avail.
I have had tapes, night classes and failed!
Well done on you!

Glyn Davies said...

Mike - You may know him if you live in Montgomery, but I wouldn't expect visitors to this blog to know him. He's just somebody I know. I don't know why I wrote the post. It was more to do with the Welsh Language (and some sort of emotional response to the Grand Slam victory) than it was to do with Ambrose.

Anonymous said...

Well well well Glyn, what about today's Mail on Sunday then?!
And as someone who lives here in Mont, I know for a fact that Ms LLoyd has gone easy on him........Can't wait for part 2 next week! Just wish we were but a few weeks away from a General Election....

Anonymous said...

Is he a Black gentleman?
Came from the West Indies?

Glyn Davies said...

anon - Have not read the MoS. Honest I haven't. Bee away all day. My story and I'm sticking to it.

anon - I was lucky enough to meet Curtley when Wales played the West Indies in the early 90s. He was a big brooding personality who kept himself to himself. Fearsome is the word that comes to mind - on his day, the most terrifying fast bowler that the world has ever seen