Surprise surprise!!

[vernon]

An old school mate of mine has been unable to attend any of the gigs that I get fellow old school mates to attend in Leeds and York. To be fair, he's a busy chap organising and managing franchises for something or other and playing in a pub rock band. Having tracked him down a couple of years ago it's proved to be impossible to get him over to Yorkshire. We haven't clapped eyes on him since 1980.

Well he's in for a shock.

I'm turning up with six fellow Darlingtonians at one of his gigs next Saturday. getting a gang together is a bit like herding cats but I've done it. B&B and hotels booked. Pubs/restaurants identified. Just a matter of getting over to the west coast next Saturday and getting wasted after a good paddle

I might even go over on my newly resurrected motor cycle as he's playing in a bikers' pub.

 

[vernon]

Have fun.....why bother with the paddle, just go for it!!

On reflection, it would be a waste of good drinking time. It's going to be a blast.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Maybe he doesn't WANT you to find him, maybe he's trying to tell you something!!

 

[vernon]

Maybe he doesn't WANT you to find him, maybe he's trying to tell you something!!

He's had one visitation from one of my 'crew' and was pleased that he took the trouble to seek him out at one of his gigs.

 

[Archie_tect]

...so it's just you then?

 

[vernon]

The reunion went down well. Seven of us met up in Morecambe and hit the bars at four in the afternoon. One or two filled in the gaps caused by thirty plus years of seperation and most of us were agog at John's matter of fact delivery of the missing two years of his life caused by twenty four operations and hospital stays to remove an apple sized brain tumour pressing on his brain stem. A visit to the Curry Leaf restaurant on the sea fron followed before we turned up to surprise our pal Karl at The Bath.

His initial reaction was puzzlement as we were all pointing at him as he was playing. This was followed by amazement as he recognised some of us and then embarrassment as he turned his back on us to finish the song that he was performing. We were drunk and rowdy in a nice way and at the break he came over to find out what was going on.

He was really pleased to see us all and he was quite emotional. We were later joined by the wife of one of the posse who'd driven straight up from Manchester airport after arriving back from Spain. It was a cracking night out and the next one is already in the planning stage.

As for Morecambe, one of the group lives in Garstang and he was very uncomplimentary about the place. It's a strange place, some elements have not moved on from the seventies,, some are decaying yet there's elements of aspirations in the form of lovely pieces of public art that resonate with their surroundings. I wouldn't mind paying the place another visit and using it a base for exploring the coast.