Friday was a random day at work with me showing off my now slightly developing biceps to my boss Dave and also comments about going up the back passage to the ever wonderful Carole. Half 4 soon came around and it was time to start the 5 day weekend. I was leaving work by a different way and for the first time going up the aforementioned back passage. I can get lost just returning from the toilets in a pub so wasn’t sure of where to go taking this route. Carole had assured me it was straightforward and offered to take me but at half 4 I was still fannying around with delivery notes and folders so I went solo and actually found the way. Sounds soft I know but the 3 Wise Men were going to see Jesus and they needed a star to show them the way so you know, we all need guidance occasionally.

It’s always good when the first post work radio song is a tune, and the Music Gods must have been in a great mood as on came Just A Day by Feeder which is a belter.

I walked along Pleck Road. Someone had decided to decorate the pavement with a pack of playing cards which was jolly nice of them. Some of them were face down and the Ace Of Spades is believed to be a sign of power and authority so needless to say this was one of the ones that evaded my sight.

As I approached St John’s Road, I looked left and right, always follow The Green Cross Code as I’m a good boy and I stepped into the road. A car decided that he didn’t want to wait in the line of traffic waiting at a red light and drove on the other side of Pleck Road before turning into the road I was crossing and I only saw him at the last second. It’s been decades since I read the Highway Code but I’m pretty sure that manoeuvre isn’t recommended in there.

I carried on noticing that the excellent chip shop Mother Hubbards is no more, now called Uncle Phil’s. I’ll have to give that a re-tick when I’m back on the chip shop reviews.

Absolute Radio announced that Duran Duran were coming on. I was at Champy’s just 20 minutes after leaving work. Why, when I work so close has it taken me 9 months to have a post clocking off trip? I stopped to take the obligatory picture and then saw Jo Collins, one of the first people to befriend me in The Fullbrook back in the 90’s. We exchanged pleasantries and she held the door open for me. The Duran Duran song turned out to be Ordinary World, which while a decent tune it’s no New Moon On Monday, so I switched off and followed Jo in.

There is no real ale here so I grabbed a well earned pint of Madri. Truly Madri Deeply indeed. The Fatman Scoop song Be Faithful came on. A song that I think is truly dreadful. I pondered going back outside for a bit of Ordinary World action but thought heading out and coming back in would make me look odd, but when has that ever bothered me? Fatman Scoop gave way to Mo Money Mo Problems by Notorious BIG which is epic. The Music Gods were back behaving.

I sat at a table and the people alongside me got their food and that was it. My nose was in the air like on one of those old Bisto adverts. My great mate “Comedy” Dave arrived shortly afterwards and we wasted no time in heading for the dining area. Me and Comedy both love the crispy chicken wings here, and if we came one day and they were the only things available we would be fine with this.

I managed to sit on a wonky chair and by the time I had fannied around and eventually swapped it the waitress had arrived to take our order. I hadn’t even looked at the menu. The waitress promised to come back. Note to self, get the crispy wings ordered then fanny about with furniture.

I perused the menu noting that a plain naan was £1.50 with a cheese one being £4. I wondered how much cheese I would be getting or did they buy it in from Harrods? At this time of day, a lot of the cheese in Mozza’s has those yellow reduced stickers on. They could easily have sent someone round to the one on the Fellows Park site.

I went for butter chicken, crispy wings and split the difference between the naan breads with the £2 garlic one, commenting that it wasn’t an issue as I would be unlikely to be snogging that evening. There was another hello this time with another Jo this one a lovely fellow Saddler. The food came out and it was epic and Comedy paid for it all which was thoroughly decent of him.

We departed and I noticed that a bus was due in 9 minutes, so I decided I was too fat to walk into town and opted to wait for it. It came 5 minutes early and was soon pulling up outside the Manor Hospital. In my 34 years of working since leaving school I think this is the first time I have been back outside my place of employment 3 hours after leaving it. We pressed on and the bus was in town at the same time it should have been picking me up from outside Champy’s. The driver put his out of service sign on, his lights off and departed. He must have been on a promise.

I opted to go to Katz. There was a kind of bring your own vinyl night going on and as I entered on came Everlasting Love by Love Affair. One of my absolutely favourite songs as a youngster. Pezza and Laura were in which was a nice surprise and Colin the barman who always calls me Andy was standing up the bar. In my excitement at the great song I accidentally called him Andy. Oh well what goes around eh?

Laura shouted me a pint of local brewery AJ’s Snap, Tackle & Prop which was in excellent nick. I went over to sit by Pezza who commented that I smelt like I’d been to Champy’s. Maybe the garlic naan wasn’t such a good idea.

Pezza took a selfy of the three of us to send to Josh. Sorry Josh for cheating on you with your other best Man.

I popped to the Walsall Arms to break up the journey home. Again great music timing was on my side, as I walked in as Working My Way Back To You by Detroit Spinners which is another childhood favourite was just starting.

It was busy in there but I got served straight away, this time a pint of my favourite Lemon Dream by Jaz the delightful landlady as I excitedly explained my love for the song.

I took a seat and was quickly joined by a man who I didn’t know asking me if I was by providing my full name. Turned out he went to my secondary school. He recognised me straight away even though I’ve lost hair and gained weight since I left. I didn’t recognise him or remember his name but he was in there with a lass from secondary school and two from my primary. I remembered the ladies though funnily enough. He introduced me to them all, which was nice as I hadn’t seen them in 3 decades.

It was a shame that I hadn’t bothered shaving all week, was sporting a carrier bag containing my work clothes, wearing a polo shirt that looked like it had been folded and chucked in a bag that morning and smelling like I’d been to Champy’s. What an impression to make after all this time. It felt like I was in an episode of Surprise Surprise. If Cilla was still with us I’d have half expected her to stroll in and start singing.

I had a good chat with him, he told me good news about someone who used to bully me and he bought me a Lemon Dream. All good. When I left school I hated the place so much I only attempted to keep in touch with 2 friends and this quickly petered out. I joined Friends Reunited back in the day but nothing came of that. Friends Reunited? Nice whooooo for Scott Mills there.

Dave rejoined his group, I enjoyed the music so opted to stay for one more. I tried to buy Dave a pint back but he insisted on buying me another. Fine by me.

I had that one and went home. Great and somewhat cheaper night than expected. I’ve now had a shave and smartened myself up.