June Spence called me on the telephone some years ago. "Hartley," she said. "My home is full of flowers. There are roses, chrysanthemums, orchids, reds, yellows, pinks and other colours. You wrote in your column today that Herman and I were married on this date, and it seems as if all our guests have sent us memories of the day."

My friend of years, Dudley Smith, an all-Jamaica footballer, saw me another day,

"I have to thank you for a wonderful wedding anniversary," he said. "I was sitting on a stool in my kitchen reading The Gleaner while my wife was preparing breakfast. After I read the Sports page, I turned to the page with your column, This Day In Our Past, and saw where you mentioned that Cynthia and I married on that date in 1952."

I folded the paper, slowly and carefully.

'Darling," I said. Let's go to Terra Nova for dinner tonight."'

She looked puzzled. 'Why?' she asked

'Darling,' I said. "Have you forgotten that this is the anniversary of the happiest day of our lives?"'

Now those were the kudos. But, there have also been the boo-boos.

Recently, I wrote an item mentioning that Maurice Foster and Easton McMorris scored a lot of runs in a cricket match in which they played many years before. The trouble is that Maurice was only two years old on the date I said this happened Easton was older, but even then, he could not have on that date.

Then there was an item in which I wrote that an elder schoolmate of mine was married on a date in 1966. The fact is that it was 1966, and the date I quoted made their first child illegitimate. In addition I wrote both his Christian and surnames wrong. Had I still been at school with him, he would have knuckled me on my head.

As this column celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, I use this opportunity to thank all of you who have read and commented on it, and corrected the errors I have made from time to time.

I have enjoyed writing it and I have made many of you happy whenever I recall the joyous days of your lives.

- Hartley Neita