Day 12: I can hear the bells…..

So last seen Michael and Dazzles were back from an adventure in the great city of Belfast, Fun and Frolics all around.

I just  sat up with mummy telling as usual all the escapades from the evening, to be fair I cant recall precisely what but I’m sure it was a great night. So over the next weeks and months we would settle into a regular routine. We became fast friends. Funny isn’t considering the circumstances we met under? Life is kind of funny that way. We are all born into this world alone and get catapulted into each others lives. Whether it be school, work, family. Who we choose to spend time with can often define us. Some people come into our lives for a brief period. Short and Sweet mummy would say. Others would remain a permanent fixture….. Dazzles was one such friend.

So as I was saying before I became all philosophical in my tangent. We had settled into out regular routine of midweek drinks at my house and weekends out in Belfast. Both of use were part-time workers so we had the luxury of time. Every Tuesday or Wednesday would start the same,

“Are we having a wee drink tonight?”

“Aye!”

On some occasions mummy would join us sat in our living room. She would be on the red and myself and Dazzles quite often on the Strongbow. That gold velvety liquid that would make us feel like giggling school girls after two pints. Maybe even one. Mummy always said to me I had the gift of being able to socialise and converse with anyone of any age. I think the apple really did not fall far from the tree. Mummy would chat to all my friends, be it Dazzles, Billy, the ladies, or even in the future the boy she would come to think of as her third son. That tall American sounding boy from Belfast….. Any guesses who that is? She was always relaxed and comfortable with my friends. She was always a good source of advice for my friends, she was the cool mum, but still a mum. She never tried to live vicariously through her son and pretend she was teenager. She always remained the lady she was.

On many nights she would sit with myself and Dazzles, more often than not with a cup of tea instead of the red, though the nights with the red were the best. If she was drinking Tea she would sit for an hour and retire to her room to watch the rest of the soaps. If she was on the red however she really shined. She would sit that little bit longer than usual. If we played music she would get a cheeky request in there, “ummm guys can we listen to something everyone likes as well?”. This was code for Mummy wanted to listen to something she liked. This would follow a very standard routine

1. Run by Leona Lewis
2. Run by Snow Patrol
3. Anything from the catalogue of Simon and Garfunkel

Then like a good hair routine, rinse and repeat!

We always indulged her in her music as she was giving up her living room to two teenage boys so they could have a cheeky midweek drink and chat. Plus her little face when we did comply would light up, in fact it would

“light up, light up, as if you have a choice!”

God she loved that bloody song.

After a lot of music, some red and a lot of the golden stuff, myself and Dazzle would be in the mood for that one film that we new each and every lyric too.

Hairspray!

Now I know what you are all thinking, that’s a very butch choice for two emerging Divas like Myself and Dazzles however we can get really gritty sometimes….

The first beat would come on….

“Gooooood Mooooorrrrniiiinggg Ballltimmmmooorreee”

Mummy would look up, smile and say, “right that’s my queue to leave, you boys know every word to this bloody movie”.

Away she would retire to her room, to then shout down the stairs, “ill bang the floor if I want a drink or some crisps, of If you boys are getting a bit loud.” Quite often it was the last option God love her. The two of us butchering the music to a beloved musical.

One time during our 100th playthrough we were dancing to the final song and Dazzles was so exited me punched me in the arm and through me against the sofa, all right came down Dazzles!! Once the golden juice was finished we  would either stumble up to my room or fall asleep to hairspray on repeat in the living room.

The next day mummy would usually make us a wee fry and then drive Darren the two minutes down the road home. These nights happened almost on a weekly basis, and I think she loved them as much as we did. She enjoyed her son having fun and also enjoyed the company of his friends. Mummy loved a bit of craic,

1. Craic, Verb, Irish for having a bit of fun, enjoying the night, the banter etc

I would love to be sat in her living room right now with her opposite me and a glass of red. We could play Run all night love if she wanted.