A Kind of Hush by Richard A. Johnson Page A

something about him?'
    'I can't,' I said.
    'Why not,' he said. 'Are you scared?'
    'Yes I am, I'm fucking terrified if you must know.' I got up and walked to the other end of the garden.
    Chef lit another cigarette and waited. I sniffed and coughed and managed to hold back the tears that I could feel building up. I took a couple of deep breaths, walked back and sat down again.
    'Sorry Chef,' I said.
    'What for?' he asked. 'There's nothing wrong with getting angry, just so long as you can control it, and there's no shame in admitting that you're scared either. Think about what I've said and maybe you'll begin to understand why it is that you are like you are. As it is, believe it or not, I have a great deal of sympathy and understanding for what you do, I just believe that you are going about it the wrong way.'
    We went inside for the biggest Sunday lunch that you have ever seen, all cooked and lovingly prepared by Beryl. Chef never cooked at home. By the time I left, late afternoon, I was full fit to burst.
    We were at Wembley by seven-thirty. Pete and Den wanted to make sure of good seats. Si turned up with this bloke who looked like a refugee from the fifties. You know, drape jacket, brothel creepers, elephant trunk hairdo, Elvis sideburns, the whole bit. It was his uncle Chris. He impressed us straightaway by steering us to a  side entrance. Then flashing a card at the security guard, he led us straight down to the front of the hall to pick our seats before the crowds came in.
    I must admit that my choice of music is a lot slower. Heavy rock and head banging doesn't really do that much for me. But that concert was brilliant. It wasn't so much the sounds, more the atmosphere. Everybody jumped at the same time, everybody rocked at the same time and everybody seemed to know every word of every song. I even caught myself singing along to one or two of the numbers. When they'd finished, the crowd screamed for more. They were just about to go into 'Rocking All Over The World' when Chris told us to follow him and started to push his way through the crowd to the area at the side of the stage.
    'Hang on, we want to hear this,' yelled Pete and Den together.
    'You will!' screamed Chris back at them, 'you will.'
    We got to a line of bouncers who were protecting a double door that led backstage. They glared at us menacingly.
    'Oh shit!' I said to Mick, 'what's he doing?'
    Chris smiled and produced a wad of cards, one for each of us. He showed them to the bouncers and they moved aside and counted us through, the biggest bouncer saying through a gap-toothed smile, 'Now you behave yourselves back there, lads, or I'll come looking for you.'
    'Backstage passes,' mouthed Pete and Den, their faces wide with amazement. 'Backstage fucking passes.'
    'How the fuck did you manage that,' I yelled at Chris.
    He smiled and said, 'It's not what you know
    'It's who you know,' we chorused.

    We watched the end of the show from the side of the stage, Pete and Den's heads were almost totally buried in the massive speakers as they bopped up and down to the beat while strumming their imaginary guitars.
    We met the band and were stunned when they invited us back for a drink. We had a jar or four or ten with them and the crew and gave them a hand to pack away all of their stuff. We eventually left loaded with pictures, records, autographs and pissed out of our skulls.
    All the way home, the twins swore undying loyalty and devotion to Chris for what they believed was a miracle. I must admit, I thought that the guys were brilliant to treat a load of strange kids like us so nicely; well, they had no need to did they? They could have just told us to piss off, but they didn't. They gained at least one more fan that day.
     
     

Chapter Eight

     
      I took Chefs words to heart and for a while threw myself into my work and aimed at getting some qualifications. Chef had pressurised the boss into allowing me two days a week for catering college. I even began to like