“Here we are
Extending into shooting stars
In our houses, in our cars
You didn’t know it
Now you do
This is the way (this is the way)
We move (hey)”
Jeffrey Ratner / Sean Scolnick / David Matthew Moore / Malachi De Lorenzo
The final song of the night was ‘The Power of Love’ , sung by Holly Johnson, in Vicar St., to a crowd, in which, unusually , I was not the eldest. That song was the third #1 in a row for Frankie Goes To Hollywood , back in the day…that day being sometime in 1984. It was destined to be the biggest selling Christmas #1 of all time, following on the heels of the band’s first single, ‘Relax’ becoming the biggest selling debut single of all time. Relax was actually sliding down the charts in the UK, and their label ZTT, was banking on another band , Propaganda, to be t heir major act , when , in a fit of pique, BBC Radio 1 morning show host Mike Read stopped playing it half way through saying that it was obscene. It went straight to #1 and stayed there for 9 weeks, it also re-entered the charts when they released their second single, ‘Two Tribes’ went straight in at #1, and for three weeks they were only the second band, after that great Monaghan band, The Beatles, to be number 1 and 2 in the charts simultaneously.
The Power of Love was timed for Christmas sales and went straight in at #1 , but only for one week, as Band Aid released their single the next week.
Fate is fickle.
But they were all great moments we remembered, and relived, during the gig.
My friend Ronan had flown in from London earlier that day, and I’d collected him, and we went to our friend Micky’s house, threw in our bags and headed over to the Camden Kitchen for dinner before the concert. After looking at the menu for all of 5 seconds we called the waiter over and told him he probably wouldn’t need to take out his order pad. I ordered the chicken liver parfait, and the venison ragu. Micky said “I’ll have the same.” And Ronan followed with “So will I.”
It was all delicious.
We are all friends since forever. I remember Ronan when we were in Brother McCabe’s 4th class in 1976 because he broke his arm trying to vault the horse in the gym, emulating the flying McEneany twins, but trapped his foot in the little trampoline in front of the horse and smashed into it instead. Micky joined our class , 4th year in St.Macartan’s, in 1883 and we’ve been best friends together ever since.
We still marvel that we learn something new about each other each time we meet though. Sometimes heartfelt, private, and emotional, but mostly embarrassing and incredibly funny. We’re all great huggers, and that is our greeting and our goodbye. We’re very fortunate to have each other in our lives, me especially, and to have these wonderful moments, and hugs.
Great moments get remembered, sparked by random other things.
Last Saturday , while making tea I spotted in our Monaghan Town Runners FB group a number of people wishing Ciara McGuinness good luck in the Berlin Marathon the following day. Ciara appeared at our door when I was diagnosed with my cancer a few years ago offering encouragement and practical help and guidance for my Soulmate. It was a random act of kindness that we’ve never forgotten. When I was saying goodbye to her that day she gave me a wee hug and wished me well.
I messaged her as my tea was brewing :
“Remember , the whole point of the race is the guilt free bockwurst and Berliner Pilsner afterwards. Best of luck !”
“Ah Paul thanks a million for that, I was truly sitting here wondering what the hell I am at tomorrow and why I put myself through these silly things ..but now I know!”
“We’re running Belfast Half tomorrow with Jake and Robyn. Robyn is panicking because she hasn’t trained , so I said, “Everyone else is running to get a good time. We’re doing it to have a good time !”
“Now there’s a motto I’m stealing!! Best of luck with it. That’s really special all of ye doing it it’ll be well supported and good laugh.”
Ciara was right.
My Soulmate, Jake, Robyn and I parked on the grassy area on the Annadale Embankment where they used to light July 12th bonfires when we lived there. We got changed and then with lots of other giddy and ill prepared joggers made our way over to Ormeau Park for the start of the Belfast Half Marathon. At the entrance we had our first pleasant surprise of the day, my evil goddottir, Eimear, was there to greet us and announced that she was going to run it with us. This was to be Jake and Robyn’s first ever half marathon and would be a good few miles longer than they’d ever run. There was lots of bonhomie and banter. Eimear said that she’d done no training, but was generally fit and wouldn’t have a problem keeping up with me. I said that she was a brat!
It was going to be a great day !
I think I have spent too much time in Tiny Ray’s company and now suffer from giddyittis at the start of races, and charge off, too fast. Jake caught up with me and said that Eileen had told him to tell me to “…cop yourself on.” I slowed up and Jake and I jogged slowly waiting for the girls to catch up with us. After a few minutes we still hadn’t seen them and I told Jake that we’d better stop and call to make sure they were OK. I rang Eimear and we then each tried to describe to the other, badly, where we were. I eventually realised that the girls were now way in front of us. We tore after them, and caught up between miles 2 and 3. Then for a while I’d go ahead to get a few snaps of them and we’d run together until I saw a mural, costumed runner, crane, cute dog , or bridge that had to be documented and then caught up again. We seemed to split into two groups around mile 8. Eileen , Jake and Eimear kept a steady pace, while Robyn and I stopped for selfies with the Connswater mural, the Harland & Wolff crane, Goliath, the old DV8 shop on Arthur St., The Grand Opera House, and the church choir on University St.
When we neared the finish line we saw Robyn’s boyfriend , Dundalk John, and his two sisters , who were already finished , cheering us and we held hands crossing the finish line. There we were greeted by Eileen, Jake and Eimear and we had a group hug.
Dundalk John’s parents were also there, and thankfully, they were all huggers too, so we had a massive meet and greet hugfest together for the very first time. We hobbled back to the car and then went for a few pints together, by the end of which we were all firm friends, and hugged our goodbyes.
And yes, before you ask, I agree. I do live a charmed life.
Toodles,
Paul
P.S For huggers , everywhere this is Langhorne Slims ‘This Is The Way’
P.P.S And for fans of audio, here’s an old blog
