One of those times for me recently was when V and I went to see Lloyd Cole playing. The last time I saw Lloyd Cole was at the Barrowland Ballroom. Sometime in the eighties. I was sixteen.
As I looked around his balding following that had gathered in the Fruitmarket I thought,
"Crikey, this is an old crowd"
Then it dawned on me with a sickening lurch. I was part of it! I was part of that 'old' crowd.
I sat down in my chair as they had kindly provided seating (probably to take the weight off our ageing joints).
Lloyd came on looking more like Kenny Rodgers than the young idealist. I was crestfallen. I felt ancient. I could feel myself being pulled down into a black hole of depression.
Then the music started.
Everything changed.
The faces of the two women sitting in front of me lit up with a look of pure unrequited love, an expression I recognised immediately from the girl's faces in The Barrowland all those years ago.
Slowly we began to sway gently in our seats singing quietly along. We may not have been pressed up against the railings screaming the lyrics at the top of our voices like the old days (there was no railings, we were able to hold ourselves back) but we still knew the words.
Yes Lloyd we are here and we're still ready to be heartbroken.
After the encore Lloyd announced he would be signing photos and copies of his new cd at the table up the back. We were invited to form an orderly queue. I didn't need to be told twice. I was out my seat before V had even registered what had been said,
"keep up man, keep up"
Made it to the back, second in the queue (even though was seated near the front). get in!
A couple of test shots with the camera just to make sure it was still working...and...
I may not be sixteen anymore on the outside but there's still part of me that will always be sixteen on the inside.
Your spirit is your spirit. Your soul is your soul.
Right am away to listen to 'Rattlesnakes' and dance.
Are you coming?
Tomorrows blog is 'Five ways to stay young'...
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