The Songwriter - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

COMMON GROUND

Part `1

When you’re flying above the ground in a jet everything can be imaginary . Up here you could be anything you wanted . I thought of myself like a transit soul leaving this world and becoming a resident of the unknown . In this bright new world where clouds are the foundation of future mansions in a heavenly territory were rewards are timeless . In a land where your can dreams can float as easy as a thought running through your mind . I came back to reality with heart and mind in conflict .

All I wanted to do was to be with her but the miles between us seemed so distant . Absence either makes the heart grow fonder or it drives you mad in the process . Love is like an anchor or a ball and chain on the emotions . My heart was light and my head abuzz . My  emotions  were  high  as  the  plane  that  flew  through  the  sky . 

I found it hard to relax . I had no real desire to sleep . Apart from the menu and directions on how to put on a life jacket there was  nothing really interesting to read . I had listened to almost each of the selection of songs on the music channels . Outside the window of the jumbo it was dark and I tried to imagine an alien  creature sitting out there on the wing of the plane looking in at us . Then I thought about the situation of being hi-jacked and then I thought about the engine on fire and before long I was asking the waitress for a drink and it wasn’t long before my prayers were being frantically offered up . I hoped to God it was easier to be heard so near headquarters . I looked at the faces around me but most of them were fast asleep .  Time seemed to go so slow .

We  had  been  in  the  air  about  twelve  hours  and  I  began  to  compose  my  thoughts . As soon as inspiration came so did the want to sleep .

But with a melody in my head and a new song on the way I didn’t want to sleep . A heaviness came upon me .  Now I  was  tired  but  over  the  years  I  had always  found  that  when  I  was  half  asleep  or  drowsy  it was then that I wrote my  best  lyrics  . Spurred on by that thought I   took  out  my  pen  and  a  notepad  and  started  to  write  down  some  lyrics  . Suddenly far below the lights of a country sparkled into view  . The plane was descending and before long I had the title of my song . Jewels Of The East I though as the plane gradually came into land .

As the plane was being refuelled and cleaned all the passengers and crew . Made their way to the transit lounge . Soldiers with rifles were everywhere . There were lots of strange people drifting through the duty free shop and the bar in the Arab Emirates . Armed military were very much there in presence and it wasn’t a nice experience . I had thoughts of Belfast and things crept back into my consciousness .  I tried not to think of some one pulling out a submachine gun in the transit lounge and starting a  gun battle .I looked at faces and began to suspect everyone as a possible gunman.  I looked at ways of not being a  target . I hoped somebody innocent would  not get caught in the crossfire . The reality hit and I remembered where I was . All I wanted to do was get back on the aircraft .  I made my way to the public phone and with pockets of tokens I purchased from a few of the armed guards. I made a frantic phone call from the public phone box to Linda . The phone rang and Lindas voice answered .

“Hello . Who is it  ?“

“ Hi Linda its me . Paul . Guess where I am ringing you from ?

“ Who “ She said 

“Its Paul . I’m ringing you from the Arab Emirates and  it won’t be too long until I’m in London .“

It was just at that moment when the announcement came over to board the plane .I said a quick goodbye to Linda and made my way through a screen of armed soldiers to the bus that brought us all back to the aircraft .

We all sat there in the plane for sometime waiting for the seat belt sign to come on . It never did . After a long wait the captain announced that we had lost a passenger and that we would have to wait until he was found . An hour passed with us all sitting there on the plane . It was mentioned by the captain that a large crowd of people were hunting for this lost person . Finally they had discovered the lost man who had fallen asleep in a cubicle in the men’s toilet . Well I must tell you he got the warmest reception when he finally came on board . Every one of us stood up and clapped and cheered , He was so apologetic as he came running on to the plane  . As soon as he took his seat we were  on our way . The jets roared and the plane soared into the sky .  Hearing Linda’s voice had only made me feel all the more in Limbo . I found my  heart  beating  stronger  than  my  head  . My mind and body were heavy and I  was soon falling into a state of blurred semi-conscious  images where only the best romantic  thoughts dwell . I  fell  asleep  with  the  pen  in  hand  and  was  gently  awoke  by the air hostess as  the  morning  crept  through  the  small  window  beside  me  .  The  plane  wafted  through  a  soft  white  cloud and  the  air  hostess  began  to  hand  out  breakfast  on  trays  .

“ Good  morning  Sir .  Catching  up  on  your  letters   .” She  said  with  a  smile  .  I rubbed my eyes and wondered what to say to her . Then it came to me . I thought now is your chance to introduce the writer and the poet . Smiling back at her I said ,  

“ Well catching up on letters is a bit like running after dreams a little don’t you think . Will anyone ever get to the end of it and discover the place where reality is the only illusion .  Do you remember Henry  Lawson , the  Australian  poet  ? Well he once  advised   any Australian  writer  who  wanted  recognition  to  leave  Australia  .  Do  you  think he  had  a   point  ?”

The  air  hostess  looked  at  me  with  a  puzzled  expression  and  thought  before  she  answered  my  question  . 

“ I  travel  a  lot  and  I  don’t  have  much  time  to  write  .   I  wish  I  did   though .  Good luck with your dreams ”  She  put  down  the  tray  before  me  and  left  .  I  could  see  she  was  a  bit  spellbound  by  what  I  had  said  . I hoped that her life would change for the better . I wished that she had more time to write and find  thoughts  . I gave a moment in silent prayer before tackling breakfast .  I  enjoyed   breakfast . It  was  delicious  .  Straight  after  eating  I  went  into  the  gents  toilet  and  freshened  up  . I checked the time and realised soon we would be coming in to Heathrow airport . My  heart  was  burning  as  I  thought  about  Linda  .  The  pilot  spoke  softly  through  the  aircraft’s  public  address  system  , announcing that  we  would  soon  be   landing  in  London   

The fasten  seat  belts  cane on  and  I  thought about  the  bondage  I  had  with  my  writing  .  I  realised  there  and  then  this  compulsion  to  write  had  totally  invaded  my  life  .

The  plane  circled  around  for  ten  minutes  above  the  misty   grey  city  of  London  .  When  it  was  all  clear  to  make  a  safe  approach  we  touched  down  at  Heathrow  Airport  .  I  waited  and  watched   all  the  passengers  leave  the  aircraft  .   They  poured  themselves  out  from  the  plane  and  I  sat  for  a  moment  looking  at  the  empty  seats  feeling   unsure  about  what  was  to  come  and  a  great sense  of  being  alone  hit  me  .  Here  was  I  ten  thousand  miles  from  my  family  , and   a  lifestyle  I  had  adapted  to . Australia  had  grown  on  me  . I  walked   from  the  plane ,  a  nobody  in  this  place , strangers  passed  me  by  with  suitcases  in  their  hand  . I made my way to  the  baggage collect spot where I tried to help a young lady with two children to remove her bags from the conveyor . 

“ Let  me  help  you  love ”  I sad but as soon as I spoke 2 security guards looked at me , Next thing I knew I was taken to a room and interrogated for a few hours . Must have been my Belfast accent that made them think I was  a terrorist . I was eventually released .

I found a phone and called Linda who gave me the exact directions how to find her flat . It wasn’t long before I stood there waiting for the lift to bring me to her  Floor at Rowan Place . The lifts were out of order so I climbed to the 13th floor and knocked on her door . She opened the door and said 

“What  are  you  doing  here  ?”

I  felt  my  world  collapse  instantly  .  Lost  for  words  I  scrambled  for  something  to  say .  I scrambled and words refused to unfold . There  was  something  in  the  way  and  nothing  came  out  . “You  better  come  in . ”  she  said  . I went in  and  sat  down  . Looking upset  she  said ,

“ You  can’t  stay  here , my  boyfriend  will  be  here  soon ”.

“Didn’t  you  say  we  where  going  to  get  married “  I  said .

 She  looked  at  me  with  a   hard  face  and  said , “This  is  the  end  of  the  line  for  you ”

Apart  from  being  humiliated  from  being  so  unwanted  , I  was probably  at  that  moment  the  loneliest  man  in  the  world  . Sure  enough  a  knock  came  to  the  door  and  in  came  Steve , Linda’s  boyfriend  .  Immediately  he  began  to  roll  himself  a  joint  of  hash  and  as  he  lit  it  up  another  knock  came  to  the  door  . In  walked  John  , who  was  boarding  with  Linda  .  John  was  a  London  Cabbie  and  my  first  impression  of  him  was  that  he  was  a  dangerous  man  .  Linda  put  a  Chris  Rea  record  on  and  turned  up  the  volume  .  It  was  like  a  nightmare  as  I  watched  Linda  and  Steve  kiss  each other  and  giggle  in-between   clouds  of  white  smoke  that   drifted  up   my  nose  .  They  seemed  to  have  forgot  about  me  sitting  there  on  the  couch . Another  knock  came  to  the  door  and  in  walked  six  young  lads with  happy  faces .  They  went  straight  into  the  front  bedroom  . Linda  went  in  after  them  and  I  never  saw  her  again  until  the  next  morning  .  I  had  fallen  asleep  on  the  couch  .  Her  cat  curled  up  at  my  feet  began  to  stretch  and  climb  over  my  legs  .  It  was  quiet  and  I  realised  all  the  company  from  the  night  before  had  left  .  Linda  walked  past  me  into  the  kitchen  without  a  good  morning  hello  .  She  started  slamming  doors  in  the  kitchen  cupboards  and  then  began  to  scream  at  me  . 

“ I’m  going  off  to  work  this  morning  and  I  don’t  want  to  see  you  here  when  I  return  ”

The  front  door  was  closed  after  her  and   I sat  staring  at  the  walls  in  her  flat  .  I  must  have  remained  that  way  for  hours . During  the  time  she  was  at  work  I  began  to  write  some  lyrics  of  a  song  entitled  Lying  On  The  Lounge  .  It  was  the  first  words had  written  since  arriving  in  London   . Linda’s  return  to  the  flat  was angry . She  was  furious  that  I  was  still  in  the  flat 

I sort of felt I wasn’t welcome . I tried not to think of myself as an unwanted dog in a flea house  . I tried not to think of murder in the first second and third degree .

I  stood  up and  looked  her  in  the  eyes . Without uttering a single word I  then  grabbed  my  bags  and  left  . Without  saying  a  word she slammed the door of her unit behind me  .  I  almost fell  into  the  lift  and  made  my  way  from  level  13  to  the  ground  floor  . Dazed and confused as the song says    I could not work it out . It suddenly dawned on me I  had  three  Aunts in  Wellingborough  and I thought , Yes sanctuary from the rocky jungle of London and some  common  ground . 

End of Chapter 4 - (Part 1) 

Link to part 2

https://www.abctales.com/story/mcscraic/songwriter-chapter-4-part-2 

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