So we were in the cab of this lorry which had stopped to pick us up on the roundabout just off the top side of campus, past Tesco. The driver seemed okay. He just wanted to be quiet and listen to the radio, which was tuned to Terry Wogan's breakfast show. It was still dark, and the motorway was quite clear.
You know the feeling? That quick-shaking of the ribs that is something between excitement and the cold had susbsided into a cramped and awkward but comfortable warmth from the dashboard heater. Our four or five layers of clothing topped with the blue t-shirts with that bloody stupid collection tin character were making us drowsy, but we were perked on a couple of cups of coffee and the knowledge that after almost an hour of waving our big card signs in the cold, we were on our way to Edinburgh.
The driver swung around a roundabout and coasted down a hill as the sky was paling, but on the ground the morning was still a deep and greyish blue. Terry was doing some kind of Eastenders spoof sketch, but I don't watch soaps at all if I have a choice - you know - don't you find soaps painful? Anyway, I didn't know what was going on in Eastenders so I didn't get most of the jokes, but it sounded fun. I needed to take off one of my jumpers, as I was getting really hot, but the driver had said he wouldn't be able to take us far, so I thought it would be better to wait and not try it, which would probably involve elbowing both him and my partner repeatedly, the crashing of the truck, and a flaming death. So I just sat there and watched the road go by.
A reedy brass intro followed the end of the sketch, and the sun came up as the truck sped around a long looping stretch of elevated motorway and we could see the light of the morning yellowing and warming the colours across the scape of Birmingham and the piano came in underneath and it was one of those moments, you know the kind? When you're doing something, or travelling, and you're happy to just...be.
Ever see a blind man cross the road,
Trying to make the other side?
It was a familiar tune, in a sort of I-think-my-Dad-used-to-play-this-in-the-car kind of way, but it was the first time I heard the Stereophonics version, and it was on the radio again this morning.
now have that tune in my head, is a good tune. though can't really tell the difference between the rod stewart versoin and the stereophonics one. maybe is just me, but do go on.. did you get to edinborough.. what happened?
I find most soaps dull dull dull. Or so cringeworthy I have to leave the room.
Only hollyoaks is acceptable becuase of all the nice ladies, but even that is shite at the mo.
Bah.
Nicely written, Stuart. I know just the feeling you describe.
lolly - I find that changing the television channel works as well as leaving the room, with the added possibility of viewing some good television, as opposed to simply standing in the corridor.
There is that option. Unless you happen to be watching TV with someone who likes soaps. And that person has the remote.
And our flat being the way it is, i'll either end up in the great outdoors, or in the kitchen, which is the home of lots of nice food (mmm... nice food).
Besides, have you noticed how all of the soaps are on at once? So changing channel often just makes things worse?
Sorry to be pedantic, but I think it must've been Chris Moyles he was listening to on Radio 1.
They did a spoof Eastenders sketch, followed by Handbags & Gladrags by the Stereophonics, anyway.
Though for all I know, Wogan might've done the same...
(One of Chris Moyles' jingles name-checks Terry Wogan's hair, btw!)
We're not talking about this morning, Starbuck, although that was the station I was listening to today.
This was about THREE YEARS AGO.
But feel free...
...pedant away.
I do love a good pedant - shame this one isn't warranted.
I've been getting my own present and past in a muddle of late... too many complicated films... and now its happening in my blogtime as well!
Cheers!
Heh, okay!
:-)