We’re gonna party, a party tonight
As I sit here in my study the morning after, the sun is out, it’s 8am, Sunday 14th June 2009 , it’s already warm and a red kite (bird of prey with long wing span and distinctive calling sound) has just flown by my window.
And here is the News last night I went to a party hosted by Mr and Mrs New.
Last night I went to Ken & Gerry’s party in Sheffield a hundred miles north of here.
Ken is my oldest friend from Grammar School days in Willesden North West London. Funny we first met on the football games session when I was a central defender and he was a centre forward and we clashed, the teacher breaking us up. In the 6th year we became friends. Today, to me he looks no different to those days, just greying hair, but still has that infectious ear to ear grin. Yesteryear when we were Prefects in the 6th Form, we, with Bob Sweet and Clive Willy almost ran that school. All the lads were shoved out in the rain, but the pretty girls could stay in of course at break time. There was no discipline problems, any boy out of order just got looked at, and if necessary picked up by the shirt and tie and banged against the nearest wall. Instant justice.
Also there last night was Keith and Kevin, plus their wives, more Ken’s friends than mine, but again from school days, and we did go out every Saturday night for months to a country pub in Harefield, to consume 8 pints of beer. I actually asked last night why we did that and why the Cross Keys, the answer was apparently it was my idea in the 1st place, but I don’t subscribe to that hypophosis. Kathy was there again with her husband, she is friends with Kevin’s wife Chris, and she instantly recognised me from what must be 5 years ago, when she was outrageously flirting with me at a music venue in Camden, where Ken’s sons were performing.
The highlight last night were these guys:
The Soul Brothers dressed as the Blues Brothers, an 8 piece band, they really got the place rocking, I have not danced so much in a long time. In fact there have only been 2 ex girlfriends, Hazel (Irish) and Gina (Pilipino) who could out dance me stamina and style. But, last night I was on my Jack Jones, and most of the dancing to their rhythm was solo bopping. I did not stay overnight either like the rest of them, for the bbq today. So I drove back and got to my house, which is not a home, at 02.30 hrs.
Although this band were brilliant, I did feel flat, being on my own. Although Kathy wanted to dance with me and we did to the Mavericks record “Dance the Night Away” and a couple of slow records…….. when the husband is cramping your style, and everyone else was in couples, much as I wanted to dance the night away with Kathy I could not.
It was just like when my youngest son got married in Cambridge 3 years back, then it was even more poignant. Though on that occasion my new daughter in law’s sister danced the night away with me, but her husband was hovering too.
I also found it hard to bid farewell, again because I am like a spare piece of anatomy at a wedding, and keep a brave face. Highs and lows, and when we reminisced why is it me with the reputation? “Oh Allan on that scooter in the Mods and Rockers late 60’s he was mad, Allan was always a trouble maker”. Even Gerry said 42 years after the event, “you were a bad influence on Ken, I turned up at the Oldfield with my friends on a hen night and Ken was there with you dancing with the girls, and he should not have been there”………….oooopppps……….maybe that is why she has often given me the cold shoulder and I was not invited to their wedding. Kevin was Ken’s best man and also mine. I have never been best man, well in some people’s eyes, not mine.
No comments:
Post a Comment