His Little Drummer Girl, chapter 1
When I was 17 I was really skinny, fairly pretty with long blonde hair, not bleached blond but quite a dark blond. In my rebellious days it didn't stay blond, it has been red, red with black stripes and once I even died it black all over (which looked awful as I'm quite pale). Its been Dark brown with blue streaks and once (for one night only) bright green. I hasten to add this was when my parents were away and knew nothing about it, they still don't.
I'm not trendy at all and have my own style. When I was about 12 all I wore was black. Black and being skinny don't really look great. Mum pointed it out to me so sometimes I'd where white with the black and occasionally red. I changed slightly whilst at University training to be a teacher. There I came to realise that I could where fairly plain clothes and dress them up with scarves, belts, chunky jewellery. I still love to accessorise, even today but still favour black.
Ive always lived in London, went to school there, worked there, drank, clubbed, snogged and made friends along the way there. I holidayed at the coast, be it the North, South, East and West coast of the UK. I loved my family holidays and they hold fond memories.
Anyway, enough of my rambling I shall beginning at the beginning. Well, at the beginning where it was fairly interesting.
It was 1992 and my very last evening working part time at the Kings Arms pub in London. Id worked there part time for two years whilst training to be a teacher. Teacher training was fab. I'd made heaps of friends and couldn't wait to start my job in three weeks at a local school teaching 8 and 9 year olds. The Kings Arms was a huge pub, slap bang in the centre of London. They held quizzes there, bands often played, the food was great and all ages went there without anyone feeling out of place. Ken, the landlord was brilliant, like an uncle to me and often fed me when he thought I didn't have enough cash to buy myself food as my student grant didn't stretch too far and I'd often spend money on an accessory rather than a decent meal.
There was a band setting up in the corner, 3 guys, not too handsome and quite a bit of equipment was being brought in. Actually at first glance I thought they were a bit odd looking but second glance whilst wiping up the tables near to where they were Id have said they were 'OK'. They seemed to have quite a following as I'd overheard some of their fans talking about them touring Europe so they must be fairly big. The drum kit gave their name as GREEN DAY but Id never heard of them. I could sense some American accents being spoken but then had to get on with serving as the customers started piling in.
The pub was absolutely packed solid. The first I'd seen it like that. There was no way it had anything to do with Ken's sausage mash so it must have had something to do with this band. It would be interesting to see how they went down.
Well, how can I explain it, they were amazing. Even Ken was tapping his fingers and that's saying something. Everyone was so rapped up in listening to what they were playing the evening went so fast and before I knew it, it was packing up time. Ken said to head on over to the band to give them a drink on the house and to see what they wanted. Actually I was quite nervous to approach them. Me? Nervous? Why the hell would that be.
The little guy who sang was writing something down, he had so much energy when he played I was surprised he hadn't sweated more but he was so calm. I approached him as there was no one else around at that moment. "Hi" I said coming closer. "I work here and the manager said you can all have a drink on the house, what can I get for you?"
"Hey that's very kind of you, a good old glass of English beer each would go down real well, thanks." He looked up from his writing with a kind expression and I went off to get their beers.
The pub was practically empty apart from the band, myself, Jean the other barmaid who had to get home to her kids so was in no mood to hang around for long and Ken who was wiping up at the bar.
I carried the tray over to the band and they were so thirsty they almost downed them in one.
"Just what the doc ordered" said the blond bass player. "Thanks for that".
"Much appreciated" came a very strange, almost squeaky voiced American accent. This was the drummer. When I looked up I saw the most sparkling cheeky eyes ever.
"You're very welcome" I said. "That was some gig tonight. I must admit I'm ashamed to say I hadn't heard of you".
At that moment Ken came up carrying a huge bouquet of flowers. "You didn't think we could let you go without getting you something do you?" Jean was just behind with a large magnum of champagne. "This is from all the regulars" she said. "We had a little collection going". Jean had tears in her eyes. She is such a lovely lady, very kind hearted and even with her home life problems was always cheerful. "We'll miss you you know, such a hard worker, those children in that school you are going to don't know how lucky they are".
"Don't worry Jean, I'm sure I'll be popping in for a drink or two on a regular basis". I said.
Even though we were saying our goodbyes I was aware of the three band members listening. They were still packing up and taking stuff outside.
"Need a hand?" said the little singer as I was struggling to collect up my gifts.
"Well I think I may have to take a taxi tonight instead of the tube" I said. "You'd couldn't help me hail one could you?" Not believing my cheek.
"Hey we could even take you home ourselves" said the drummer.
"I'm sure we can squeeze you in, you're only small."
"You have a van?" I asked
"Yeah" said the bass player "We hired it, it's a little big for us really but most nights we have to sleep in it."
"Looks like we gonna have to sleep in it tonight" said drummer
"Ya know sometimes we bed down with the fans - we're like one big happy family."
"Hey is there room for us to park outside your place?" asked the singer
"Yeah and don't worry about sleeping in the van, you can stay at mine." I couldn't believe I'd said that. These were three total strangers. My mother would be horrified.
"I rent a house with my sister and a friend from Uni, we've got loads of room and you'd be more than welcome."
All three looked so relieved and grateful.
"Thanks very much" they all said in unison.
"You're too kind" said the drummer - I loved that voice, very cute.
Was I mad? I didn't know these guys but I had a feeling that they would do me no harm.
We all piled into the van and it took about ½ an hour to drive just two miles as the traffic was horrendous. They all introduced themselves on the journey. The bass player's name was Mike. He drove the van, very well I might add. The singer sat next to him, Billie Joe he was called then I got in and last but not least the drummer whose name was Tre Cool. I asked the obvious "that's not your real name is it?" They all laughed even though they'd probably heard that question many times. "No - my real names Frank".
The journey continued with the radio blaring out. We looked like a scene from the movie Wayne's World head banging to Queen. Even though they'd played a 2 hour gig Frank sure did smell good sitting next to me, all soapy.
I'm not trendy at all and have my own style. When I was about 12 all I wore was black. Black and being skinny don't really look great. Mum pointed it out to me so sometimes I'd where white with the black and occasionally red. I changed slightly whilst at University training to be a teacher. There I came to realise that I could where fairly plain clothes and dress them up with scarves, belts, chunky jewellery. I still love to accessorise, even today but still favour black.
Ive always lived in London, went to school there, worked there, drank, clubbed, snogged and made friends along the way there. I holidayed at the coast, be it the North, South, East and West coast of the UK. I loved my family holidays and they hold fond memories.
Anyway, enough of my rambling I shall beginning at the beginning. Well, at the beginning where it was fairly interesting.
It was 1992 and my very last evening working part time at the Kings Arms pub in London. Id worked there part time for two years whilst training to be a teacher. Teacher training was fab. I'd made heaps of friends and couldn't wait to start my job in three weeks at a local school teaching 8 and 9 year olds. The Kings Arms was a huge pub, slap bang in the centre of London. They held quizzes there, bands often played, the food was great and all ages went there without anyone feeling out of place. Ken, the landlord was brilliant, like an uncle to me and often fed me when he thought I didn't have enough cash to buy myself food as my student grant didn't stretch too far and I'd often spend money on an accessory rather than a decent meal.
There was a band setting up in the corner, 3 guys, not too handsome and quite a bit of equipment was being brought in. Actually at first glance I thought they were a bit odd looking but second glance whilst wiping up the tables near to where they were Id have said they were 'OK'. They seemed to have quite a following as I'd overheard some of their fans talking about them touring Europe so they must be fairly big. The drum kit gave their name as GREEN DAY but Id never heard of them. I could sense some American accents being spoken but then had to get on with serving as the customers started piling in.
The pub was absolutely packed solid. The first I'd seen it like that. There was no way it had anything to do with Ken's sausage mash so it must have had something to do with this band. It would be interesting to see how they went down.
Well, how can I explain it, they were amazing. Even Ken was tapping his fingers and that's saying something. Everyone was so rapped up in listening to what they were playing the evening went so fast and before I knew it, it was packing up time. Ken said to head on over to the band to give them a drink on the house and to see what they wanted. Actually I was quite nervous to approach them. Me? Nervous? Why the hell would that be.
The little guy who sang was writing something down, he had so much energy when he played I was surprised he hadn't sweated more but he was so calm. I approached him as there was no one else around at that moment. "Hi" I said coming closer. "I work here and the manager said you can all have a drink on the house, what can I get for you?"
"Hey that's very kind of you, a good old glass of English beer each would go down real well, thanks." He looked up from his writing with a kind expression and I went off to get their beers.
The pub was practically empty apart from the band, myself, Jean the other barmaid who had to get home to her kids so was in no mood to hang around for long and Ken who was wiping up at the bar.
I carried the tray over to the band and they were so thirsty they almost downed them in one.
"Just what the doc ordered" said the blond bass player. "Thanks for that".
"Much appreciated" came a very strange, almost squeaky voiced American accent. This was the drummer. When I looked up I saw the most sparkling cheeky eyes ever.
"You're very welcome" I said. "That was some gig tonight. I must admit I'm ashamed to say I hadn't heard of you".
At that moment Ken came up carrying a huge bouquet of flowers. "You didn't think we could let you go without getting you something do you?" Jean was just behind with a large magnum of champagne. "This is from all the regulars" she said. "We had a little collection going". Jean had tears in her eyes. She is such a lovely lady, very kind hearted and even with her home life problems was always cheerful. "We'll miss you you know, such a hard worker, those children in that school you are going to don't know how lucky they are".
"Don't worry Jean, I'm sure I'll be popping in for a drink or two on a regular basis". I said.
Even though we were saying our goodbyes I was aware of the three band members listening. They were still packing up and taking stuff outside.
"Need a hand?" said the little singer as I was struggling to collect up my gifts.
"Well I think I may have to take a taxi tonight instead of the tube" I said. "You'd couldn't help me hail one could you?" Not believing my cheek.
"Hey we could even take you home ourselves" said the drummer.
"I'm sure we can squeeze you in, you're only small."
"You have a van?" I asked
"Yeah" said the bass player "We hired it, it's a little big for us really but most nights we have to sleep in it."
"Looks like we gonna have to sleep in it tonight" said drummer
"Ya know sometimes we bed down with the fans - we're like one big happy family."
"Hey is there room for us to park outside your place?" asked the singer
"Yeah and don't worry about sleeping in the van, you can stay at mine." I couldn't believe I'd said that. These were three total strangers. My mother would be horrified.
"I rent a house with my sister and a friend from Uni, we've got loads of room and you'd be more than welcome."
All three looked so relieved and grateful.
"Thanks very much" they all said in unison.
"You're too kind" said the drummer - I loved that voice, very cute.
Was I mad? I didn't know these guys but I had a feeling that they would do me no harm.
We all piled into the van and it took about ½ an hour to drive just two miles as the traffic was horrendous. They all introduced themselves on the journey. The bass player's name was Mike. He drove the van, very well I might add. The singer sat next to him, Billie Joe he was called then I got in and last but not least the drummer whose name was Tre Cool. I asked the obvious "that's not your real name is it?" They all laughed even though they'd probably heard that question many times. "No - my real names Frank".
The journey continued with the radio blaring out. We looked like a scene from the movie Wayne's World head banging to Queen. Even though they'd played a 2 hour gig Frank sure did smell good sitting next to me, all soapy.
Page 1/37 | Next
