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Douglas Ramsdale is one of those people one takes to immediately at first introduction and never forgets or loses the affection that this new friend is able to draw out of one or inexplicably commands one's attention. BTW, "Skause" is a nickname for someone from Liverpool.
Doug & I met in a matriculation line for the Alliance Francaise at the Sorbonne in Paris in the spring of 1965. He stood a couple of persons behind me and I knew he was a "Bloke" and he knew I was a "Yank". We ignored each other for several minutes when one of us broke the ice and introduced one's self. Within 12 nano-seconds after the initial meeting I felt that I had known him my whole life and was utterly & completely at ease in his company. We quickly agreed that neither one of us cared for queues (British English for waiting line) or the French in general so why are we standing in a line to sign up for French language classes...
We immediately left the queue and found the nearest cafe and proceeded with lots of serious drinking.
Over the coming months Doug & I had so much fun. We were excellent "wing men" for each other and were able to enchant all manner of women, French, English, Scandinavian and et. al.
He did finish the French lessons per his employer's instruction, Pilkington Glass and subsequently returned to Liverpool.
He invited me to come visit. Which I did. Again, we had a great time and this was the beginning or my Anglomania...
Photo is circa 1976-1980
