Its the evening of Bank Holiday Monday, June is hours away, and so now officially is the summer. The Champions League has been decided, the test match is on its way, we are still reeling from the shock that Blackpool are actually in the Premier League and everyone is has put, is putting, is preparing to put a St George's flag on their car because England are going to win the World Cup! Of course they won't but its great watching our people of Middle England turn back the clock for four weeks, and share real community spirit.
I always make a point of telling foreign nationals who complain about how unpatriotic the Brits are to hold onto their hats and observe the mood of their indigenous neighbours once the World Cup really starts! Those flags are draped from windows, shops, and cars, the pattern appears on thongs, brassieres, t-shirts, mugs and beer and soft drink cans. Everyone suddenly remembers the words to "Three Lions On The Shirt", "Vindaloo" is sung with equal gusto, and heaven help us, if we get anywhere near the Quarter Finals, we will all definitely be singing AND dancing to "Love's got the World in Motion". Even the bemused Middle Class rugby followers will ADMIT to watching the matches and cheering on the boys, especially if the dreaded fixtures looms large: a match with the Germans! The Sun Newspaper does it every time, and everyone complains, but we will still buy the souvenir edition featuring a man witha tin hat with bubble wafting somewhere over his head saying "Achtung!"
World Cup summer is almost the only time where the regular debate about not producing British tennis talent fails to gather momentum during Wimbledon; the ruling classes who are invariably pilloried annually for keeping their sacred posh tennis clubs exclusive, breathe a collective sigh of relief! No-one cares because we're wrapped up in debates with perfect strangers in shopping malls, queues for the Cashpoint about whether our Italian mate Fabio "has lost the dressing room", or "has not learnt what we all know that Lampard and Gerrard can't play together". It is madness!
I, for the record have now got the Wall Chart up and have blocked off the diary for the first round England games and then we'll see what transpires. I have to confess that I have been convinced to perform at a Civil Partnership in Wales on the day of the final but then we all know deep down that we'll be out of it by then!
But please note, in May 1999, I had been one year into a Wednesday night residency at "The Wharf" in Bugbrooke, Northampton and refused to play on the night that Manchester United were going for the treble against Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp. Having turned down a free ticket to actually fly to Barcelona, I just knew something special was going to happen and I had to watch the game live on TV. It turned out to be one of the most exciting and inspiring climaxes that I have ever witnessed, with the Red Devils winning 2-1. I was sacked by the Landlord, the next day and on accepting his decision, told him that if the same thing happened again, I would have NO hesitation doing it again...and stand by my decision! For me playing the Piano is a job that I enjoy passionately, but football IS my passion.
Let's hope that the World Cup is great success for the continent of Africa, and the well-being of everyone united by the beautiful game. By the way, I believe Brazil will lift the trophy on Sunday 11th July; European teams always fail outside their continent. Anyone for a chorus of Rule Brittania...
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