wonder round the shops anyway as Dave is going to a football match. I was going to ask you if you wanted to go out on Friday night anyway as I’ve just found out the band I’ve wanted to see for ages are playing at the Three Feathers. Do you remember me telling you about them?” she asks me, “Itchy Skin and the Weevils?”
“Oh yeah - how could I forget a band with a name like that!” I say laughing. “Are they playing on Friday then?”
“Yes - are you up for it?”
“Yeah – sounds great”. Alex has been raving about this band for ages and they’re supposed to be really good, so hopefully it will be a good night. Think I’ll wear my black dress and biker boots.
Chapter 7
“Now ladies and gents, please welcome onto the stage one of the best up and coming bands around – let’s hear it for Itchy Skin and the Weevils!” We all cheer and applaud, apart from Alex who makes a whooping sound as the band come out on stage. The pub’s back room is packed tonight. And me and Alex are right at the front for once! Normally all we can see is the back of someone else’s head as neither of us are particularly tall and the odd glimpse of the lead singer leaping about.
“Thank you, thank you very much” the lead singer says as he pulls his guitar strap over his head. He’s quite nice looking actually, with mad dark hair that keeps falling into his soft brown eyes.
“Get a load of him! He’s gorgeous!” Alex says to me as the band launch into their first song. “I tell you – if I didn’t have Dave...”
“He is nice” I admit, starting to move my feet in time to the music, “The music isn’t bad either”. All around us people are dancing and Alex waves her pint enthusiastically in the air while she’s boogieing on down. I quickly down the rest of my Jack Daniels and coke, take a sharp intake of breath – I should not drink it that fast - and then join her. A couple of times while we are dancing and mucking about, I notice the lead singer looking at me. He probably can’t believe how bad my dancing is, but I don’t care, I’m having a good time. The second time Alex notices as well, even though she is quite pissed by this point.
“I think he fancies you!” she shouts over the music.
“No he doesn’t Alex - shut up!” I say blushing. Thank God it didn’t get to the end of the song and it go quiet as she said it. That would have been so humiliating. I can remember something similar happening to me on a dance floor in a club once. I was shouting over the music to someone and then suddenly the track ended. I’d just been telling them about my neighbour’s new puppy and their attempts to toilet train it for some God unknown reason and my ‘yeah, pissed all over the floor apparently’ was heard by everyone as I shouted it just as the music ended. Everyone turned and looked at me and I’ve never felt so embarrassed in all my life.
He is nice though – Itchy or whatever his name is. But he’s not as nice as Adam.
All in all, it’s a really good gig. They are a fantastic band. Evidently everyone else thinks so too as the band end up doing two encores and we only just make it to the bus stop in time to get to the last bus home. Well, I make it to the bus stop. I have to ask the driver if he wouldn’t mind hanging on a second while Alex hurries to catch up with me. It’s not an easy task to run when you’re wearing high heels and pissed.
“Aw thanks mate!” Alex slurred as we sit down. “You’re a great mate Gail – I love you!” she continues and hugs me.
“Yeah thanks Alex, and don’t even think about being sick on this coat,” I say pushing her off laughing, as she giggles and leans her head on my shoulder.
She isn’t sick thank God.
****
The next morning, I get up at six, make myself some tea and toast and think about last night. I love nights like that. We had a really good
Giuliana Rancic
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