Table Of ContentDARIUS GUPPY
with
Nicholas Davies
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To my darling i;vif
e
'Revenigsae kindo fw iljdu stice,
whicthh em orem an's natruunrset oi t,
them oreo ughlta wt ow eedi to ut.'
Francis Bacon
The author wishes to thank ma�1y friends and family
members for their help and support. In particular,
Michael Alexander for his general advice and for
providing a haven where mm�h of the work was
done; Nicholas Davies, for his editing of the
manuscript and his ability to control some of the
author's wilder instincts; Chris Berry for his
assistance in getting the author out of jail; his friend
Mohammad for setting a fine example of optimism
and quiet determination; Tasneem Osmani, David
Price and Jonathan Crystal for all manner of legal
advice; Steve from Dixieland for the use of his lap
top without which this book would never have been
written; Charles Spencer for his steadfast loyalty;
and the author's parents for access to various family
archives. Above all, the author wishes to thank his
wife for her great encouragement and for showing
such remarkable courage.
CONTEr
TS
CHAPTERI 1
CHAPTERI I 15
CHAPTERI II 21
CHAPTERI V 35
CHAPTERV 53
CHAPTER VI 69
CHAPTER VII 87
CHAPTER VIII 103
CHAPTERI X 123
CHAPTERX 143
CHAPTERXI 155
CHAPTERX II 185
CHAPTER XIII 197
CHAPTERX IV 215
CHAPTER XV 225
CHAPTER XVI 249
CHAPTER XVII 269
CHAPTER XVIII 297
EPILOGUE 303
I
tuart 'Baddie' Phillips was my first major challenge in life. Strong,
wiry, with short fair hair and aquamarine eyes, Baddie Phillips
Swould cause me to grow up quickly. He was fast on his feet, quick
to the punch and he could throw stones with remarkable accuracy.
Everyone in the playground knew who Phillips was and his classmates
would gather around him, follow him wherever he led and fall silent
whenever he spoke. We were both five years old.
I had only been at the French Lycee in London's South Kensington
for a matter of weeks when I realised that someone had to challenge
this boy. Most afternoons, during recreation time, he would gather a
number of followers around him and then run wildly at groups of
boys, shouting at them as he charged with his gang, scattering the boys
in every direction. Those who stood their ground would be
surrounded, punched and then pushed aside.
I admired Baddie Phillips. He had a certain quality about him,
which to my young mind was irresistible for he seemed to fear no
one and yet he was quiet and generally showed little sign of
bravado. However, his supremacy in the playground could not be
permitted to continue.
For some weeks I had watched Phillips cause havoc among my
classmates, but none of them seemed capable of standing up to this
boy who, though no taller than the rest, oommanded their respect
through sheer charisma and courage. So I began to join my classmates
whenever they ventured out into the playground, determined to stand
my ground when the attacks took place.
Invariably, Baddie Phillips would lead from the front, shouting and
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---------- DARJUS curry
screaming as he charged towards us. Having made up my mind that I
would not retreat, I was pushed to the ground and took a couple of
punches and kicks during the first few attacks. T�e �lows, however,
never really hurt but rather encouraged my deterrmnat10n not to yield.
The more I stood my ground, refusing to turn and run, the more I
knew that the day would come when Phillips and I would slug it out.
It happened one October afternoon after school before our parents
came to collect us.
The fight lasted no longer than a few minutes with Phillips'
classmates cheering on their champion and mine gathered behind me,
waiting to see whether I could indeed topple Baddie. We traded
punches before falling to the ground, rolling over and over, pulling
each other's hair and punching each other whenever possible with our
puny, flailing fists.
As we fought, more boys, as well as girls, came to see the fight,
forming a circle and jostling each other to get a better view. Suddenly,
the noise stopped and we both looked up, knowing instinctively that a
teacher had arrived.
'Get up, get up this instant the two of you!'
I remember obeying the command, pulling up my socks, looking
at the dirt on my clothes and walking into the circle of my
classmates, hoping to disappear into the crowd and escape the
attention of the teacher.
It seemed that I had acquitted myself adequately. The following day,
as I walked into the playground, my classmates gathered around me,
waiting to see what I would do. It was the ultimate anti-climax.
Nothing happened.
Philli�s' group didn't charge. They simply assembled opposite us,
murmuring and pointing while we stood our ground ten yards away.
From �hat point on, while fights would occasionally break out and
som�etimes our rivals would charge, no one would turn and run.
Ins e�d,we kept our positions and fought.
_
�ps and I would become friends and it seemed that he came to
admire me as I adn u· re d him . Our scrap in the playground had been an
ho nourable dra w an d months later, he had the grace to accept thi· s. I n
fa ct, .w e soon be came sue h good pals that within a short time we were
gP r1 aeyamt m.g tmenarsb1. tlyes atnodg edth ee tre. rTmhm. esaet 1.g 0anm, ense, ihthoewre ovfe ru' sw weraen ctoinngte sttoe dlo WseI· tha
