Dear Reader,
Constructive criticism of my work is welcome; anonymous trolling of female writers is unwelcome but sadly all too common. Trolls are invited to leave my work alone!
Both Angie and Jud are real but some places are fictional. Girton College Cambridge is real, the oldest all female college at the University which is now mixed with roughly 50% male and female students.
There are other parts to this story if enough readers ask for them. My volunteer editor and I hope you enjoy Angie's story.
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Angela grew up despite her father. Her mother during her secondary schooling began to say strange things and call her by other girls names and became increasingly confused. Her father denied it but his wife had dementia and this was confirmed by her doctor who referred her to a psychiatrist at the service for early onset dementia.
Angela had been proposed by her primary school as an above average girl academically and she attended a girls Grammar School where her domestic circumstances were recognised and supported. She was a good mathematician and excelled at English. From her education and the willingness of three teachers to offer her extra coaching she developed a passion for judo and crosswords. One teacher cut the crossword from his newspaper and the staff room provided help to learn to complete the most difficult cryptic clues. She became best pupil each year and became adept in Classics and English as well as Maths. Her quiet personality transformed as she progressed through judo belts and trained with weights..
Her father complained about the cost of her education her uniform, and her judo. The financial costs were dealt with by bursaries from the City Guild who partially financed the school. Her father was a noisy participant in parent evenings and staff at the school dreaded the loud opiniated critic of Angela and the school. Drink had often been taken before he entered the school. Despite all of this Angela achieved highly in examinations and was interviewed and offered University places.
Her interview at Cambridge was for Girton College, a highly selective College at the University and she was excited. Her father was of course unhappy! He had left school at 14 and was poor at spelling and handwriting. She had to ask at school how to cope with menstruation as her mother could no longer communicate. She would miss the support and care of her school but she had developed independence in learning and Girton College recognised her potential and need for support. Now out of school uniform she wore jeans and a pair of Doc Martens boots a a knitted sweater most of the time.
Despite her travelling to Cambridge alone for interview and open days her father insisted on driving her there with his wife helpless disorientated, unable to walk other than shuffling. The journey was a disaster; her mother vomited three times and Angela argued with her father for creating this. She was relieved to enter the college with her old suitcase and rucksack.
Her father was objectionable and drove off much to Angela's relief.
Jud had witnessed the incident and approached Angela. Jud was to be her personal tutor and taught Classics. She was also responsible for a group of female students new to the College and university. Jud had short cropped hair and wore jeans and Doc Martin boots just like Angela so Angela felt at home at Girton. Jud was openly queer and Angela had never encountered an openly out lesbian, She suspected one or two of her teachers who were single at school were queer in private but at Cambridge it was safe to be open and for Angela safety and distance from her father meant a great deal. Jud settled Angela and was attracted to her despite having sex with other partners within the University and City. Jud began to fantasise about her young student.