I Miss Your Smile

I remember that time:
that night in The Locarno.

‘Twenty-one-today’ and all that.

What happened to you, Big Tony?
The best scrapper down our street.
You saved my arse a few times:
glad you were on my side

And Jenny, my first love.
We skinned each other’s heart.
I hope life has been good to you;
it turned out pretty well for me.

What are you doing now, Bob?
You had me in stitches, man!
Did you ever get to India?
In that Mini Clubman?
Sorry I couldn’t go:
regretted that.

And Maggie:
our Maggie May.
So tragic in the end.
I never realised the truth.
I still picture you: so beautiful.

And Satinder Singh Sehmi (Satchmo).
Always worried about your turban:
hated blokes staring at it.
Bollocks to them!
No one will bother you,
not with all us around you,
not with Big Tony on your side.

Did you make it as a model, Debs?
“Call me Brown Sugar,” you said.
You were certainly that, kiddo.
How famous did you get?
Was it you in that song?

Bloody great night, that one:
never been so drunk in my life.

You must have sunk ten pints, Tony!

You were a smashing dancer, Sue Brown.

Hey Satchmo! You said you couldn’t drink.

Bob and Maggie smooching the night away.

Christopher Boyd carrying me back home.

Jonesy waffling about joining the army.

Then those three policemen appearing.

Me shouting, “I'll fight the coppers!”

Timothy Daly clamping my mouth.

Bob slurring, “Solly Ozifers.”

“Get him home,” they said.

Big Tony sitting on me.

Policemen laughing:
really good sports.

Satchmo singing
(bloody awful).

Jenny laughing
(girly giggles).

Debs singing
(wonderful).

Jenny crying
(crazy girl).

Me singing
(aaarrgh).

Me crying
(oh no).

I miss
your
smile.