Freedom From The Mundane

A Very Special Day

Image: archinect.com

I write to you from the warmth of my home office. Outside my window lies a landscape scattered with 1950’s housing, skeletal trees and a cloudy, overhanging sky. It’s not a particularly exciting view, in fact, at first appearance it looks downright miserable. Yet today will be a day to be remembered for all the right reasons.

I’m wearing nothing extravagant either: blue jeans, a pair of old trainers, and a black t-shirt with the phrase “The Specials” emblazoned in silver on the front. You see, today The Specials return to Scotland for the second time in seven months. It will see them play in Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange in what may possibly be my last every chance to see them. Eight months ago the thought of seeing them just once seemed a million miles away such were the band’s politics. How times change for the better, and along with 3000 other skinheads and ska fans, tonight we will skank and stomp like there is no tomorrow. It may be our last chance.

So, as I sit here about to set off, to get a bus up to town to meet my sister Binny for lunch and a few aperitifs, an excitement dwells within me. I feel like a kid again, for the music I’m going to hear is the music I grew up with me; it’s what made me, moulded me into the man I am today. Nothing special to most people, bit a lot of fun to dance around with. That’s The Specials – and that’s me.

As for yesterday – busy sums it up. Never got time to blog but I was feeling like shit all day. He last two nights I have been unable to sleep for coughing so yesterday I started taking stronger chest medicine and a few pills. Today I seem to be a bit better; phlegm levels have dropped and I’m not coughing as much. Maybe some alcohol will help kill off the rest of the germs.

That’s about all from me for today. Have a good one. Here’s what I can look forward to tonight at 9pm…