Page 25 - She's One Crazy Lady!

Born awkward
With the somewhat bizarre title I have chosen for my book I feel it is important that you should know a little about me, to understand how my life evolved, what makes me who I am, and how my past experiences and adventures in life over the past 68 years relate to all that I do now.
Glennis Edith Hooper was born on October 9th, 1954, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Kettering, weighing in at 7lbs 13oz. Fourth child to my parents, Thomas George Hooper and Gwendolen May (Mamie) Hooper, sister to Carolyn Gayle, Andrew George and Gwynneth May – we all had a name beginning with ‘G’.
I was born awkward.
Yes, that’s right – I was born awkward. I was a
breach birth. My right leg, apparently, appearing first
at 5.25pm, my left arm ten minutes later; my right arm at 5.45pm and my head and left leg at 5.50pm. Ouch! I’ve never given birth but even I know that sounds excruciatingly painful. My poor Mum! She had to be ‘put out’ and forceps were used to get me out as quickly as possible, for there were fears I could die, and Mum was struggling. What a start to the world! Every birthday, for as long as I remember, Mum would always send me a card with the timings of my birth written in it to remind me – and her – what a problem I was. Mum never let me forget!
Shortly after my birth I, apparently, was crying one night whilst Mum and Dad were listening to the radio. A saxophonist, Tubby Hayes, was playing and, getting fed up with my wailing, Mum told Dad that they ought to go and see to ‘Tubby’. The name stuck! As a youngster, and even in my teenage years, I always wanted to be known as Tubby, not liking my real name, Glennis. Adolescence was also beginning to make me ‘tubby’! As I grew older this doggedness of mine made people raise an eyebrow or two, especially at school and when I played competitive sport, with reports appearing in the paper. Even today, within the family, I am known as ‘Tub’ and ‘Auntie Tubby’. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Only at special times, or if we are in company, might my sisters or brother refer to me as Glennis, which sounds so strange to us all, and we always smile. If Mum or Dad called me Glennis, I knew I was in trouble.
“
Even today, within the family, I am known as ‘Tub’ and ‘Aunty Tubby’.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
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