Lost confused and looking for Inspiration - Stage 2

Last night, even though full of snot and croaking like a 50 a day smoker, I joined an old college friend, Jo and her friend Marnie, at the Cumberland Arms (a very dodgy looking pub in one of the scariest parts of Byker - Newcastle) to watch a band called Aslan (I think). Marnie's boyfriend was playing in the band and to be honest I didn't know what to expect.

My contact with Jo has been very sporadic, the last time I saw her was October last year, but she is one of those people in my life whom I just not ready to let go off. So on a tri yearly basis I contact her, we catch up and say lets meet up - but then never do.

Last week we had our usual conversation and she mentioned that she was going to the Cumberland to see this band and asked me to go. Now since becoming a "Married Lady" I'm pretty much a stay at home on Friday night gal. I haven't been to a gig in years, in fact Hx took me to the last one I went to (Remember - the one we couldn't find). So it came as a bit of a shock to me when I realised that somewhere between driving home, hoovering and pondering what delicious meal I was going to cook for my dearly beloved I had decided to go the gig.

Firstly I hit two barriers. The first being my normal paranoia of "oh my god, I haven't seen Jo for ages what are we going to talk about, will she have changed, have I changed, will we still get on... and what about Marnie"


The second being what the hell does a 34 year old married bint wear to a gig in a pub that has a more than dodgy repuatation, knowing that the gig is a reggae rock type band. Half a wardrobe later - I ended up donning my best fitting pair of hipster jeans, corset top (Showing an indecent amount of embroidered bra) and heeled in my bobber boots. Rock chick meets casual thirty something!


So with paranoia held firmly in check I headed off in Nicholas Paul Viscount Peabody (my car) and eventually, after driving round Bykers one way system at least four times, found the pub. Why do the councils of this world insist on putting new one way systems into all towns just before Xmas?


I entered the pub and immediately thought "DOH - def not Rock chick environment, more cool laid back hippie". But spotting Jo I brazenly pushed my way through the crowd and received the best hug I've had in months. As usual my paranoia was totally wrong and we burst into conversation, catch up and general chat. I met an ex flat mate of Jo's, Steven, who was lovely and caught up with Marnie quickly, then we all headed upstairs to see the band.


Cutting a long story short - the band was bally brilliant. At first I sat on the side lines watching Marnie and Jo shake and twist to the beat. Due to the smoke I was coughing again like a old man who has just got up and not had his morning fag, but before I knew what was happening the beat got to me and my feet forced me to the dance floor where I spent the next hour and a half shaking my stuff to the most wonderful of music.


The dance floor was full of totally different types ranging from those cool laid back hippies to "Essex (Byker) girls" to the over fifty dad in his tie and nylon trousers - It didn't matter how you danced, just that you danced.

The band finished at about 12ish to loud applause and calls of "more and encore". I left Jo and Marnie to bask in the bands happiness at a fantastic gig - with promises to keep in touch more.

Now you might be thinking so where is the second experience. Well for the last decade I don't ever remember going out to something like this and not drinking. Luckily I have always aligned myself with pals who didnt mind not drinking so I, of course, used to do the dutiful thing and get sloshed on their behalf (thanks Hx). This night though I had no friend to call on as a driver so had to drive myself. I had one white wine spritzer and can honestly say that I had just as good a time as when I've been drinking!!!

So all this musing leads me to question two things:
1) How do we have some friends we have to talk to on a daily/weekly basis and others we can contact on a yearly basis but still feel as close.
2) Why didn't anyone ever explain to me how nice it is to go out, have sensible conversation with folks and wake up the next morning without the obligatory headache!