Alphabet Weekends - Elizabeth Noble [93]
‘I don’t know any Queen songs.’
‘Rubbish. “We Are The Champions”. “We Will Rock You”. “I Want to Break Free”. Some of the great anthems of the twentieth century. “Bohemian Rhapsody” – possibly the greatest song of all time and, incidentally, the first ever modern rock video.’
‘And, incidentally, the most insane lyrics ever.’
‘Thought you didn’t know any.’
‘I know enough to know they’re half-baked.’
‘And my personal favourite, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”.’
‘Now, that I remember. Mum wouldn’t let me watch Top of the Pops when they were on singing that because there were all these girls in bikinis writhing around on motorbikes.’
‘Your mum wouldn’t let you watch?’
‘No, and she nearly burst something over Frankie Goes To Hollywood.’
‘Do you remember how hard it was to convince her to let us go to Live Aid?’
‘She only let me go because you were coming. She said you were a nice, sensible, trustworthy boy and that I would be in safe hands.’
‘And that is why I’ve always loved your mother.’
‘We had a good time, that day, didn’t we?’
‘Yeah. We did.’
‘You know what I remember best?’
‘What?’
‘Sitting on your shoulders for Elton John and George Michael. Do you remember?’
‘Remember? I still have a neck injury that aches in wet weather. You fidgeted up there something chronic.’
‘Shut up! It was brilliant.’ Natalie’s eyes were shining with the memory.
Tom put his arm round her shoulder. ‘See? Shared experi ence. History. Pretty cool, isn’t it?’
Natalie was about to admit that it was when she saw something.
‘Natalie! What are you doing?’ Without warning, she had thrown her arms round his neck and buried her face in his left ear. She smelt of onions and mustard. ‘Sssh. Don’t call me Natalie!’
‘What would you like me to call you?’
‘Sssh. Over there.’
Natalie tried to gesture with her head, but since it was spot-welded to Tom’s she only succeeded in moving both of them, awkwardly.
‘Where?’
‘Behind me.’
‘What am I looking for?’
‘Who, Tom. Who are you looking for? Unless I’m very much mistaken, over there, heading this way, is Mike Sweet.’
And it was. In a shirt that surpassed even his usual, dismal styles, and a baseball cap purchased from the table in the foyer.
Too late.
‘Natalie? Hiya. I didn’t know you were a fan.’
Natalie swung round, a fixed smile on her face. ‘Oh, yeah. Can’t get enough of them. Seen them twice already.’
‘Really?’ He looked at her with new eyes. ‘This is my lady, Erica.’
My lady? Who did he think he was? Barry White?
‘Natalie works for me, down at the station.’ He couldn’t say ‘works with me’, could he?
Erica offered a limp hand, which Natalie shook.
‘And I’m her man.’ Tom poked her in the small of the back, and proffered his hand. ‘Name’s Barry.’
Great minds thought alike. Natalie stepped back, and on to Tom’s big toe.
Mike was frowning at him. ‘Haven’t we met?’
‘Terrific! You remember. Waited backstage for you after the New Year’s Eve matinee of Jack and the Beanstalk last year. Fabulous performance. Really excellent.’
How did Natalie stop herself laughing?
Mike nodded, as though being accosted by super-fans was commonplace for him. ‘Oh, yeah. I never forget a face. That was a great script.’ The two men continued to nod at each other until Erica began to fidget. Natalie imagined that her skin-tight trousers might make standing still for too long a little uncomfortable. Were they PVC?
‘We better go and find our seats, Mikey,’ Erica purred.
Mike put his hand to his forehead in a salute. ‘Better had. Don’t want to miss a note. Great seeing you, Natalie. And you – Barry, was it? Have a wild time, kids.’
Natalie and Tom turned to each other, burst out laughing, and collapsed on each other’s shoulders.
‘Barry!’
‘I thought the walrus of love was appropriate.’
‘I didn’t think it was possible for him to be worse out of the office, but, do you know, he is?’
‘Thank God they went off in the opposite direction. Can you imagine sitting next to them?’
‘We