Here's one Ka Ka on the move
IT SEEMS I've been spending half my waking hours on the grim highways of North-West England in recent weeks.
First thing to face every weekday is the tedious slog down the M53 from New Brighton, past the Satanic smoke stacks of Ellesmere Port and on to the posh village in Cheshire where I toil in a lowly cattle shed (converted to accommodate computers and office politics etc).
Most evenings after work in recent times I've been motoring through the midwinter murk to Wigan (via the Runcorn Bridge or the Thelwall Viaduct, depending which takes my fancy) to visit my mum whose been ill and in hospital for some of the time.
Then, at about 8.30pm usually, I leave Wigan, after a final coffee with my sister Princess Stephanie, to drive along the nation's emptiest motorway (M58) to Liverpool.
Then down it's off down the A59 through Walton and Kirkdale (they are fairly soulful to drive through, those suburbs, though I'm not sure I'd want to live in either of them) and on through the Wallasey tunnel and home.
One night I was so weary I came off the M58 too early and couldn't get back on (there's no slip-road back on the motorway Liverpool-bound at that point) and so I was forced to make a very tedious detour through Kirkby (the speed bump capital of the UK) and then the other way through Maghull before I could find a route to the A59 and down through Liverpool. Nightmare!
It feels like I'm repeating this triangular journey (New Brighton, rural Cheshire, Wigan, New Brighton again) endlessly. I am beginning to hate cars in general and my vile Ford Ka in particular.
The only consolation is that as I drive I can smoke rollies made with liquorice skins and listen to music as I cleave through the night. That's quite relaxing on the Wigan to New Brighton stretch.
Usually I listen to mix tapes (yes, in car terms I'm still in the cassette era) of my favourite artists... Steve Forbert, Roddy Frame, Paul Weller, Morrissey and Dusty Springfield.
Just now my favourite tracks are Frame's "The Gentle Kind", Morrissey's "November Spawned a Monster" and Forbert's "Monster in a Box".
And sometimes I play recordings of my own voice reading poems I am trying to memorise for performance at our Bards of New Brighton meetings. I can only take that for so long. It's so weird to hear recordings of your own voice.
At the next Bards, by the way (Monday, 9 February, Magazine pub, starting at 8pm) I will be reading, in two instalments, a toxic short story I've written and am hoping to get published.
Anyway, soon after arriving back from driving my auld triangle route I usually fat-neck a sandwich or a light meal prepared by the lovely Posh Boots, and by the time I've had a couple of glasses of red wine, it's bedtime and I'm watching Sky News (usually better than the BBC's equivalent service - though Sky was waffly and disappointing in its coverage of Barak Obama's inauguration).
More about Obama in my next posting - plus news of the good aspects to the current economic downturn.
Till then, keep the faith, folks!
Older/Newer
« Welcome to Wirral - what's left of it! | Bad Times are coming ... but first, New Brighton niceties »
9 Comments
Profile
Steve Regan - Steve Regan is a writer who also runs the Bards of New Brighton poetry and music club, which meets at the Magazine pub, New Brighton, on the second Monday of every month. starting at 8pm. Free admission
Hi Steve - well my plan to get a bogus gig at glastonbury has snowballed...check myspace.com/volcanoesarehere for tunes the legendary Beano and I recorded with tim from boo radleys! No further on the gig front but i've had interest from bbc wales?!? and some reputable indie record label!! The tunes however are a little obtuse for the average listener!
There are some very good aspects to this economic downturn, noticeably imho, in terms of communication, thinking about what's important in life, ...and support. And most importantly to me ... people being honest with each other. Businesses are really rooting for each other.
Materialism is a sham. The bigger car/house/mortgage etc etc. Where does it end? The answer is it doesn't.
I have long questioned social status and targets as a measure of' success' in life. 'Human wealth' is not a currency to be dabbled in.
I look forward to your blog and your new write. Enjoy the music and don't hate your Ka - you could be driving around in a van like mine!! with rattles and dents.
Thanks, Corky Jnr. I listened to that and I like it. Think I can spot the keening vocals of Beano in it, as I remember him singing once in Hell's Waiting Room, New Brighton. Check it out folks ...
myspace.com/volcanoesarehere
Not sure how to make that work as a link but just type it in.
Well said, Scubadiver, but I don't know what you mean by "imho" in the first sentence of your comment. Is it short for summat - or am I just thick?
Looking fwd to the second part of your short story at the bards next month Steve!
btw "imho" = In my humble opinion.
So that's what IMHO means...
Any road, there's nowt very humble about my short story. I'll be reading parts one and two at the next Bards meeting at the Magazine pub, New Brighton, on Monday 9 February, starting at 8pm. I'll also be reading my new, FUNNY poem!
sorry - missed the 'imho' thing! My visits here are sporadic.
I am very happy - my close friend J has finally agreed to come along with some poems on Monday ( must double check the calendar )!!! She has written prolifically for years, and didnt want to come down when your posters first came out in N B, but has posted on poetry sites for a long time. Also some reading group friends, and some live music in future months. A close friend who gigs in Manchester and America, who is very good ..... in my opinion.
Oh good, yes please do come and read for us, and b y all means bring your pals, scubadiva. It's usually a very nice atmosphere, very supportive at the Bards ... and you get to stand at our famous golden lectern... so MOnday, 9 February, then starting at 8pm, in the Magazine pub, in crazy old New Brighton.
C thee. Steve.
About the Golden Lectern...
I think it should have been sprayed Pink, there were plenty of chances..or you could have got tanned in my local salon instead.??
Loved it, and my friends did as well.
It was good despite my uncomfortublness at the beginning. The music and singing was beautiful.
I look forward to saying a few words in April. I will be underwater when your next session is on. ( March) I hope my friends will come along and read their poems then.
It was a lovely evening.