Walking through Etherow Country Park passing families moving in the opposite direction pushing prams, looking at ducks etc, I notice most eyes veer towards my daughter's bounteous cleavage and I feel a mixture of emotions: WoW! She looks amazing, EEK! She is being oggled at lasciviously, AGH! I used to be leered at like that and OOH! I am becoming old and haggard despite being young at heart. Note to self: Do not judge a book by it's cover. And more importantly do not judge anyone.
We soon catch up with others on the way to Whitebottom Farm where the festival is staged and have our day wristbands attached. We've arrived. Off we trot to the first of many trips to the portaloos. My outfit this time was perfect for portaloo usage. Last year I thought I looked great in my dusky pink jumpsuit, yet it was very impratical with its buttons and belt restraint whenever I needed the loo. Earlier this year I went to Let's Rock Leeds (the retro 80s festival) which was fantastic. As a group we all dressed in dungarees paying homage to Dexy's Midnight Runners. Another tricky outfit for the portaloos there. My lesson learned, I had no trouble whatsoever in the latrines this time. And remember, I was wearing my lucky top. More of that later.
It's a three day festival but who can afford such luxuries these days? This meant I had to choose our day very carefully, which was no problem at all as Huey Morgan was scheduled for bank holiday Sunday. His Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 6 Music is my favourite and I have danced and sang along with pure abandon at his DJ sets in Holmfirth, Manchester, Keswick and at this Moovin festival last year, with either bodyguard Romeo or psych undergraduate daughter for company. 'Money don't matter tonight,' because I know I'm getting, 'Lost in music,' dancing and trying to sing along to at least the chorus of Rappers Delight. 'SAY WHAT?'
We were chilling near the Mini Moo tent, devouring our bratwurst for dancing fuel, when eagle eyed daughter nonchalantly says, 'There's Huey Mum.' YES, sure enough there he was just walking along, heading for the back of the tent for his upcoming set. The current DJ suddenly started playing, 'I Wanna be Your Lover,' one of my favourite Prince tracks and one which Huey usually plays in his set. I was very annoyed with this track hijacking and remained seated on the grass in protest trying to spy Huey behind the scenes to make sure he was ok.
Time passed by as we crowd watched, got another toilet break in, stayed hydrated, chatted etc. I think I'm observant but darling daughter suddenly spouts forth again, 'There's Huey Mum.' Here we go again some weird chain reaction occurs, it's happened before wearing this lucky top when I met the band a-ha. This time I spring to my feet and chase after him down the field, (great decision to wear my trainers). Poor Huey flinches slightly as I hurtle towards his blind side. 'Where are you going Huey?' I ask him, slightly breathless. 'I'm going to the bathroom girl,' he replies, probably a bit annoyed with me and rightly so.
I'm suddenly ashamed of myself for not giving him his personal space and allowing freedom and privacy. What is it with me and this flower power top of confidence? I'm a bit sad that I may have upset him and talk it through with my beautiful psych undergraduate daughter, who questions why I did indeed run after him like that. As did my good friend when I pounced like a lioness seducing her mate upon poor Magne Furuholmen in his gym kit in a hotel foyer, pre a-ha farewell gig in Sheffield in 2010. I'm not even going to mention the tension between Morten Harket and myself over an old bedsheet. Oh well, just so you know I'm not misleading you, my good friend and I had created a banner out of an old bedsheet and politely asked the band to sign it for us. Morten struggled somewhat with this task telling us we had to, 'Hold it tight,' which to this day makes us laugh hysterically every time we remember it.
Moving back to the question very simply stated, 'Why did you do that?' My answer remains the same, 'I don't know?'
To be honest by this stage of the game I'm also feeling a bit giddy because Huey called me girl. Although this could have been in a slightly remonstrative way as in, 'I'm going to the bathroom, LEAVE ME ALONE YOU CRAZY WOMAN!' which is quite understandable. And more likely it's just an American turn of phrase.
I'm so sorry Huey. I was worried that you were leaving before doing your amazing set because I love what you do and I just wanted to say Hi.
I can't quite remember whether the above happened before or after a yellow hula hoop came hurtling towards me in the field, which I caught and expertly rolled back, (I have become highly skilled in hoop throwing having been taught by one of our SEN students at school over the past couple of years). As soon as the yellow hoop left my hand I was swiftly rugby tackled by an exuberant male who grabbed onto my waist really tightly whilst laughing manically in my face. WOW! My job at school has prepared me so well for such unexpected happenings.
'Look what you're doing to me, I'm totally at your whim all of my defences down.....' We sing and dance along together with everyone else, spellbound under Huey's set. A group of Liverpudlian lads had latched onto us, twirling us round and around when we let them. Psych undergraduate escapes for a solo toilet break and one of them asks me, 'Where's your friend gone?' I laugh, look him straight in the eye and reply proudly, 'She's my daughter.'
Seemingly unaffected by Grand Theft DJ Wainwright, Huey sticks to his guns and plays the aforementioned track. I dance and sing my heart and soul out, while silently giving thanks for Prince and his amazing music. It's all over far too quickly, it always is, but there's still Roy Ayers and his band on in the barn before The Magnificent DJ Jazzy Jeff and so we hurry once again to the toilets.
'No way to control it, it's totally automatic whenever you're around.....' My lucky top magic strikes again when I least expect it just five minutes or so after the set had ended.
Huey was stood right in front of us by a car, presumably his getaway vehicle, (it's so tempting to write a Fun Lovin' Criminal reference in here but I'm going to resist). He was really close to our preferred toilets of choice. Seriously, I could not believe my eyes. He was chatting to another woman, or more likely, the woman was talking to him. She then asked for a photo which she gratefully received. I own a great photo of Huey and myself outside the Picturedrome in Holmfirth from 2019, so there is no need to pester him for another. I just want to offer him my sincere apology.
'Great set Huey, I'm sorry about before, you know bothering you when you needed the toilet.' He was kind and said it was ok, he just needed the bathroom. The other woman then asked him for a hug, which he obliged, so I politely jumped on that bandwagon. 'I'm Puerto Rican I hug everybody,' he said and gave me the biggest, friendliest bear hug ever. It was almost a good as the ones my Dad gives me. Gracias amigo.
You have to imagine the smile upon my face at this point beaming up to the heavens and back again, possibly re-routing any satellites straying off course. I love meeting people, especially those who bring me joy and happiness through music, literature and the arts, whether they are famous or not. I can only hope and pray that when I bump into them, as I sometimes seem to do, that I can make them smile a little and know they are valued and appreciated.
To think that I almost put my lucky top into the last charity bag collection. Fate knows better, she always does.
Keep smiling, keep singing, keep dancing and keep on moving forwards.
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| Rusty still in repairs |
