Jam Tops, the Fonz and the Pursuit of Cool

by Kris Lillyman

  “Well, alright then, how about ‘Halle-bloody-lujah!’ Does that do it?” Gordy grinned back.

  “Yes,” she said, “that’ll do nicely.”

  Then Daisy ran into Gordy’s open arms and they kissed as if their lives depended on it.

  ***

  After a long, wonderful, lovely few minutes of enjoying the beauty of the moment, Gordy finally pulled away and said, “What exactly is it that you’re wearing, anyway?”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Daisy and Gordy wandered back through Bradley hand in hand, blissfully happy and wonderfully content. Everything in the world was finally right. It was the perfect Christmas present for both of them.

  They walked back to Glynn and Lynn’s rented cottage on the outskirts of the town where Gordy spent an ‘interesting’ forty minutes sitting on a bean bag, amid the joss sticks and incense, talking to Daisy’s seasonally stoned parents whilst she was upstairs taking a shower and getting changed.

  Glynn and Lynn couldn’t have been more happy for the two of them although neither could really remember Gordy - their memories hazy from too much marijuana - but they congratulated him nonetheless and were pleased that their ‘baby girl’ had found somebody to love her.

  “That’s great, man, really cool,” said Glynn.

  “Wow, far out,” agreed Lynn, “that’s a real groovy trip, babe, just so beautiful,” is what they actually said, which seemed a little out of the ordinary and not exactly what Gordy would’ve expected parents to say.

  But Glynn and Lynn were far from conventional, indeed, Gordy thought them to be quite mad - but he also couldn’t help but think that they might just be the coolest parents in the whole world, too.

  Daisy came downstairs a short time later looking absolutely dazzling in an over-sized sweatshirt, tight jeans and leather boots. Her long auburn hair was beautifully shiny and brushed into a glossy main that cascaded down her back.

  Sexy, chic and simply sensational.

  “Wow!” Is all Gordy could say. Why on earth had it taken him so long to realise how he felt about this red-haired goddess?

  “You approve?” Daisy said, giving him a twirl.

  “And then some!” He said with relish, pulling her into his arms and kissing her once more. Christ it felt good.

  After leaving Glynn and Lynn, Gordy and Daisy made their way back through the settling snow to the Brewer residence and arrived just before tea time.

  As they walked into the kitchen, which was now a hive of activity, everybody was helping themselves to turkey sandwiches and slices of pork pie.

  When Kev clocked Daisy’s complete transformation he nearly choked on his sandwich and had to do a double-take to make sure she was the same girl he had seen earlier.

  His face was an absolute picture as he stared at Daisy open mouthed, unable to believe what an absolute stunner she was. Bloody hell, Gordy had done well for himself!

  “Put your tongue back in, Kev,” said Tracy curtly, “You’re catching flies!”

  Daisy felt acutely embarrassed now about her ill thought out visit a couple of hours before, “Sorry about earlier,” she said to everyone in general, “You must have thought I was a bit mental!”

  “Yeah, a bit,” Kev snorted fawningly; a soppy lovelorn look on his sycophantic face as he stared adoringly at the wonderful creature before him, with her glossy hair and her perfect figure. Surely this wasn’t the same freckle-faced, flat-chested, four-eyes he remembered from years ago.

  “Kev!” Tracy admonished, snapping him out of his reverie.

  “Not at all, dear!” Said Barb to Daisy, ignoring the squabbles of her eldest son and his domineering wife. “You were just in a hurry, that’s all. But everything’s fine. You found Gordon, so no harm done.”

  “Yes, no harm done, eh Woggitt,” said Grandad nudging Gordy in the ribs and nodding to Daisy. “You’ve caught yourself a cracker there - not so sure about you, though Daisy, I reckon you could’ve done better than this one,” he winked.

  “Nonsense, I think they make a lovely couple,” said Nan, giving Daisy a kiss on the cheek. “You look after him,” she whispered to her kindly, “and you won’t go far wrong.”

  “Thanks, Mrs. Lancaster—”

  “Oh, call me ‘Nan’ please dear—”

  “Or ‘Gertie!” Grandad chimed in, laughing.

  “No - not that!” Said Nan. “Anything but that. ‘Nan’ will do just fine.”

  “Okay, thanks ‘Nan,’” Daisy smiled.

  Then Izzie came up to her and gave her a long welcoming hug. “Beautiful!” she said, as she finally pulled away, holding Daisy by the hands as she looked her up and down. “Simply beautiful. What the hell do you see in my brother?” she grinned mischievously.

  “Oi! I heard that,” said Gordy.

  “Good, you were supposed to,” replied his sister, “perhaps you’ll try not to lose her this time.”

  “Alright, that’s enough you two,” interrupted Alan. “Hello Daisy! Glad to see you’re feeling better. Now, can I get you a turkey sandwich? A bit of pork pie maybe?”

  “Yes, please, Mr. Brewer.”

  “Alan, please.”

  “Oh, okay then. Yes please, Alan.”

  “Good, that’s better. Gordy? What about you - turkey sandwich?”

  “Please Dad - a couple if there’s enough - couple of bits of pork pie too, if there’s some going? I’m starving.” He was, too. It had only been a few hours since he’d eaten the meal of all meals yet now he was hungry again. However, a lot had happened since lunchtime.

  They sat in the lounge with the all the family and steadily worked their way through the turkey sandwiches, the pork pie, the rest of the trifle and the remains of the lemon meringue pie - not to mention two thirds of a tin of Quality Street and half a chocolate orange.

  Nan and Grandad left at around six thirty, after Hi-de-Hi!, as the snow was now coming down hard and the roads were starting to get treacherous. Kev and Tracy left a little after that, their little girls absolutely bushed after a very busy day.

  Alan, Barb, Izzie and The Doctor, Gordy and Daisy then ate their way through Only Fools and Horses, The Two Ronnies, and Des O’Connor Tonight, before Izzie, The Doctor and Alan all turned in for the night.

  “Are you staying the night, dear?” Barb tactfully asked Daisy who, in turn looked at Gordy.

  He nodded and smiled. “If that’s okay, Mrs. Brewer?” She said, “I don’t want to be any trouble.”

  “Of course you’re not dear, you’re very welcome - and please, call me Barb - we know each other well enough now.”

  Daisy smiled. “Thanks.”

  “I’ll just go and put clean sheets on the bed - you don’t want to sleep in the same ones that Gordon had on last night, do you?”

  “Oh, I don’t mind.”

  “Nonsense, I wouldn’t hear of it. Back in a mo.” And with that Barb was off, leaving Gordy and Daisy alone on the settee.

  Immediately they snuggled up and began to kiss, enjoying being alone together at last and it was fantastic.

  “Your mum and dad won’t mind you staying over?” Gordy said, taking a breather after a marathon bout of snogging. “I want you to stay but if you’d rather go home I can walk you back.”

  “What, through all that snow?”

  “Well, we can always borrow Mum and Dad’s skis!”

  Daisy smiled. “No, I want to stay. We’ve already wasted too much time, let’s make the most of it now - it’s Christmas after all and Mum and Dad won’t be worried, they know I’m with you and they’re probably stoned out of their minds by now anyway!”

  Gordy laughed. “Yeah, probably.”

  They started to kiss again but were interrupted by Barb. “Don’t mind me - you carry on, pretend I’m not here,” she said as she started collecting up plates and picking up wrapping pa
per.

  “Please, let me help,” offered Daisy.

  “No, no, don’t be silly, sweetie, I’ve finished now, it’s no trouble,” said Barb as she ran the empty plates out to the kitchen.

  “That’s it, all done,” she said, coming back into the room. “Right, I’m off to bed. See you in the morning, you two - sleep well Daisy - I’ve put a clean towel out for you on Gordy’s bed.”

  “Thanks, Mrs. Brewer - I mean, Barb, that’s lovely.”

  “No trouble, sweetie. Goodnight.”

  With Barb gone, Gordy and Daisy began to kiss again, totally engrossed in one another and quite unconcerned about Gregory’s Girl, which had just started on ITV.

  After a while, Gordy turned the TV off and led Daisy upstairs where very quietly, very carefully, they made love long into the early hours of Boxing Day.

  And it was magical.

  ***

  They awoke early and made love yet again, unable to quite get enough of each other. Indeed, they had only just finished their morning exertions when Barb knocked on the door and brought them a cup of tea. “Don’t mind me!” She said, which was fast becoming her catchphrase, “Just thought you might like a cuppa, that’s all. No rush to get up, there’s nothing spoiling today.”

  “Cheers Mum,” said Gordy.

  “Thanks, Mrs. Brew— Barb.” Said Daisy, hurriedly pulling up the bedclothes and turning a bright shade of scarlet.

  After she’d left the room, Gordy and Daisy lay together in his single bed, her head resting on his chest and his arm draped around her shoulders.

  “You could come back to London with me in the New Year, if you like,” said Gordy. “My bedsit’s a bit of a dive, but we could look for something else better - maybe you could get a job—”

  “Oh, my God, Gordy!” Exclaimed Daisy, suddenly remembering about New York which in the rush of all that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, all her excitement of Gordy declaring his love for her, she had completely forgotten. “I can’t!” She said.

  “What? What do you mean, what’s the matter?”

  Daisy sat up in bed, her face suddenly deeply concerned, “I can’t - much as I’d love to move in with you, much as I want to be with you - I can’t.”

  “Why? If you want to then surely you—”

  “No. You don’t understand. I’m going to New York - I’ve got a job there, an apartment waiting for me - I’m going to be working for Groove Sucker magazine. I fly out after New Year.”

  She looked completely distraught by the prospect of what just one day earlier had been the best, most exciting thing in her life. But not any more.

  Gordy had sat up now, too. “Wow!” He said, clearly stunned. Groove Sucker - that’s major. And New York - bloody brilliant, Daisy, well done.” The news had hit him like a blow to the chest but he had to be pleased for her, it was a fantastic opportunity.

  “No, no - it’s not, don’t you see?”

  “See what?”

  “I can’t go now - not now you and I have finally found each other - not now you love me.”

  “Of course you can. You must. Especially because I love you. I won’t let you stay here because of me. I can’t. It’s not fair - this is your chance Daisy - it’s what you deserve and you’ve got to grab it with both hands!”

  “But what about us? What about you?”

  “I’ll be fine. I’ll stay here, try and get a better job and once I earn more money I’ll be able to visit you in The States.”

  “But that might take ages. And even if you do get a better job, earn more money, you’re only going to be able to afford to come and see me once, maybe twice a year if we’re lucky.”

  “It doesn’t matter, Daisy. We’ll work it out. We’re together now - it’s what both of us want. Somehow, some way, we’ll make it work.”

  Daisy was weeping now. “It just doesn’t seem bloody fair, that’s all. It’s taken us all this time to finally get together and in just a few short days we’re going to be separated again - hundreds of miles apart on opposite sides of the Atlantic. I can’t bloody believe it.”

  “No, me neither,” said Gordy, his heart heavy, all the joy and optimism he felt yesterday suddenly sucked away as if in a vacuum. But he had to stay positive for Daisy’s sake, he would never forgive himself if he let her pass up this incredible, once in a lifetime chance.

  “Maybe I could find a job here, in England - if Groove Sucker want me then maybe someone else will too? I already write for Smash Hits and The Face, maybe they’ll—”

  “No, Daisy. Groove Sucker is where you’re supposed to be and that’s where you must go. We’ll make it work, don’t worry. This is too important to both of us. Job or no job, we will be together.”

  He then wrapped her in his arms and comforted her as she silently wept into his shoulder. Neither one of them feeling quite so optimistic about the long-term future of their relationship as Gordy made it sound.

  ***

  With Daisy set to leave in just a few short days, they decided to make the most of every single hour they had together until she jetted off to New York.

  The weather was freezing, much to Gordy’s annoyance, as it made it impossible for him to wear his super cool, distressed leather, Kings Road biker jacket as it just wasn’t warm enough, so he had to resort to his older, much less trendy, fleece-lined winter coat instead.

  Nonetheless, his coat issues aside, he and Daisy had a wonderful few days. They went to the pub with Trevor and Marjorie, visited with Frazer and Beth - which was much less awkward than otherwise it might have been considering Frazer and Daisy had once been an item. But that was all a very long time ago and Frazer couldn’t have been more pleased for the two of them.

  They also went for long walks in the snow-covered countryside, watched TV round at The Brewer’s or sat around the log fire at The Flynn’s. They slept together every night, either at Gordy’s house or at the cottage rented by Daisy’s parents and made love at every available opportunity.

  With each day that passed, they fell more deeply in love and the prospect of being parted on January 2nd filled them with utter dread.

  But it was what it was and they just had to make the best of it.

  The snow began to thaw towards the end of December and by New Year’s Eve Gordy was back in his biker jacket, which was one small pleasure in what was otherwise becoming a very gloomy situation.

  Daisy was having the occasional weepy moment as the day of her departure loomed and had tried to convince Gordy to let her stay with him - “One phone call to Phil Rothstein is all it would take,” she would say. “He’ll understand.”

  But Gordy remained firm. It was for the best, he knew it. If she didn’t take the New York job then she’d end up regretting it - which may even result in her resenting him for letting her stay.

  Whether he liked it or not. She had to go.

  But that didn’t make it any easier.

  New Year’s Eve was bright and sunny and after a long lie-in wrapped in each other’s arms, they got up and went out for a walk, Daisy in her poncho, which Gordy had grown to love, and him in his precious leather jacket.

  Nevertheless, it was as if a dark cloud was hanging over them as they walked hand-in-hand to the pleasure park, both determinedly trying to stay upbeat.

  They sat on the swings and talked about this and that, trying to stay off the subject of Groove Sucker and her imminent departure.

  The sun was bright but there was still a chill in the air. Daisy was lovely and warm in her poncho but Gordy was cold and shoved his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket to keep them warm.

  He found the bunch of letters straight away - the ones he’d stuffed in his pocket before Christmas when he had almost knocked the postman over as he ran out of Mrs. Makenzie’s B&B, late for his train.

  They were still unopened, indeed, he�
��d forgotten all about them. He disinterestedly scanned through them now; a few Christmas cards - one from the Savoury-Sidebottoms, one from an old work mate at Bradley Town Council; a couple of overdue bills and some tickets to see Psychedelic Furs which Del Fontaine had managed to get him before jetting off to Eastern Europe. There was also one other, Gordy’s name and address neatly typed on the thick, white vellum envelope; the postmark quite unexpected but very intriguing.

  Daisy saw the surprise on his face. “What is it?” She said. “Is something the matter?”

  “I dunno, hold on,” he replied as he ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter it contained, along with two other smaller pieces of paper.

  The letter was typed on the same matching stationery as the envelope.

  Quickly he read it through. He then read it once more. Then he studied the two smaller pieces of paper, quite unable to believe what he was seeing.

  Daisy now saw shock on his face. He was worrying her, “What is it, what’s wrong?”

  Slowly, almost as if in a trance, Gordy handed her the letter to read.

  Daisy took it from him and opened it out and as she read it she began to cry.

  Dear Mr. Brewer, it began.

  Thank you so much for your letter - or should I say ‘letters’ as I seem to have received several over the last few months - you really are a very persistent young man - for which you must surely be commended.

  It seems you are a very single-minded and determined individual, too - again, two characteristics which I wholeheartedly admire.

  You say in your letters that you are ‘willing to do anything’ so long as it’s in the music business - another very admirable trait. Indeed, you sound like a man exactly after my own heart.

  You say also that you ‘just need a break’.

  Well, Mr. Brewer, I, Elliot Wexler, Vice President of Stratosphere Records, am prepared to give you that break.

  I invite you to come here to New York and prove to me that you’ve got the tenacity to make a future for yourself in the music industry. If you do, I will give you that job you so desperately desire.