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I met Chris Eubank today! But more of that in a minute …
First thing went in search of Staples (stationery superstore). As part of my Feng Shui/spring cleaning I’d decided I wanted to clear out old papers and file new and needed ones neatly. I’d looked in the Argos catalogue for a suitable filing cabinet and had seen a possible one but thought I would check out Staples first to see what they had. I was planning to go to the Staples in Rochdale. I thought I knew where it was. But when I got to where I thought it was, it was actually a PC World. At that point I remembered there was a Staples somewhere on the M60 (the “back way”) but I wasn’t 100% sure exactly where it was. So, I went to the one in Bolton instead as I knew exactly where that branch was.
It’s quite a cool place if you like stationery. I do. So, I wandered up and down each aisle to see what goodies they had in stock. Eventually I found the filing cabinets but there wasn’t much choice and none really appealed to me.
I drove back towards home and called in at the Car Supermarket. I’d been hearing adverts on Key 103 announcing a special open day featuring lookalikes … Del Boy, Elton John, Lily Savage and Chris Eubank. Except one of them was the real thing. I knew it was going to be Chris Eubank because the voice, the enunciation were just so Chris. I pulled up at the security check in. The guy in the box had a little chat with me. I told him I’d come to see Chris and he WAS the real one, wasn’t he. Oh yes. I tried to find out what time Chris was due to arrive but the guy in the box didn’t know. I gave him my registration number and went to park.
Near the entrance was a bungee trampoline. Well, four actually, all together. I’d seen a child bouncing up and down on it and assumed it was just for kids but one of the guys asked if I wanted a go. I did! I was strapped into a harness and then started jumping up and down. At the same time the guy raised the whole thing up so that I could bounce even higher. It was pretty amazing. I loved it. I just kept laughing. The idea was that when you got really high you did a somersault. I’m pretty hopeless at stuff like that. I tried to do it. You’re supposed to bring your knees up to your chest and then lean back but it’s quite a lot to think about when you’re bouncing up and down, trying to stay in the centre of the trampoline and holding on to the bungee cords all at the same time. So, I just kept on jumping up and down until the muscles in my arms ached from holding on.
I went into the showroom and had a chat with the receptionists. I told them I’d come to see Chris and they said he would be there between 12 and 1 p.m. They suggested I had a coffee while I waited. On the way to the coffee shop one of the sales guys came over and asked if I was looking for a car. I said, No, actually I’ve come to see Chris. Oh. He lost interest in me at that point.
I got a coffee and then sat down. Some of the kids had had their faces painted so I watched a few of them as they wandered around and admired one little girl’s face and arm design. The face painting lady came back and said she was quite quiet. Normally she was very busy. I asked if I could have a design on my hand. I decided having my face done might be a bit much. (Although I was tempted). As she painted the flowers I told her that I’d come to see Chris and we chatted about that. When she’d finished I went back to my coffee and we carried on chatting till a pile of kids arrived and started having their faces done.
Painted hand
A man with a top hat and pink and black striped jacket parked himself just behind me. He was obviously part of the entertainment. I asked him what he was doing. He juggled and rode a unicyle. He also made balloon sculptures. He made a couple of swords for some little boys and a flower and a monkey for the girl with the painted face. He asked me if I’d like a balloon. I said, “I thought you’d never ask”. He asked me what I wanted and then changed his mind and said “I know”. And he made me a pink dog with a red heart.
I carried on watching the children have their faces painted and Chris walked in. He was taken into an office and sat down. There was a big window so he could see out and I could see in and I just sat and watched. He looked up and waved. I waved back. Various people went in to see him and be introduced. Eventually he went into the next room where the lookalikes were waiting. Chris did his great walk. Back ramrod straight. A hint of a swagger. (Of course, he was wearing jodhpurs, tweed jacket and sporting a walking stick). He’d left something in the office. He walked back in to the other room, he looked over and gave me a huge wink.
Then Lily Savage came out and walked over. She started chatting to everyone. She asked me “aren’t you a bit old for balloons?”. (Not really. I’m just a big kid). Then Del Boy came over. He was great. So like David Jason and he had all the behaviour and patter. He came over with a huge orange cocktail stuffed to overflowing with umbrellas, straws and other bits and pieces. He tried to sell my camera to the people at the next table and offered to sell me one of his watches. I think he must have asked me if I’d come to buy a car and I said, No I’d come to see Chris. By this time Chris was standing a few feet away and talking to another family. Del Boy said he was a nice bloke. He tried to get Chris to come over but he was engrossed in conversation and didn’t hear. The photographer took a photo of me with Del Boy.
Then Del Boy went off and Chris came over. I can’t remember exactly what I said or whether the face painting lady said something to him first … about me being a huge fan. (Everyone else seemed to know by this time!). Anyway, I stood up to shake hands and he kissed me on both cheeks. And then sat down and started chatting. As always when I meet someone I’ve wanted to meet for a while, I’m a bit overwhelmed. So, I think I waffled for a few minutes about having watched him box and being a huge fan. He was absolutely lovely. We talked a bit about his boxing. I asked if he still kept fit. We talked about Louis Theroux, They think it’s all over and Big Brother. He’d come up from Brighton the day before. He’d stayed at the Crowne Plaza. I told him I’d written to him a couple of weeks before. (I’d been meaning to for a while and then put pen to paper after the Louis Theroux programme). He talked about doing events for charities and public speaking and doing events like the one he had come for.
I’d taken my digital camera and the face painting lady had offered to take a photo. But, of course, the batteries decided to die. It’s a real pain. I get about five photos out of the batteries at the moment. They’re on constant charge. I’m sure that’s not right.
The photographer had already taken a few photos of me and Chris but Chris asked him to take another. So, I shall go during the week and see if I can get some copies. I hope they come out OK!
A couple of people came to say Hello and Chris said Hello and shook hands but said he was just talking to me and would be over soon.
I was just incredibly thrilled to meet him. He was one of the people I’d wanted to meet for a long, long time. He was really easy to talk to, very normal and down to earth. He gave me two signed photos and wrote a message on the back for me.
We chatted for about 15 minutes and then he gave me another kiss and a big hug and went off to chat with some other people.
I was just over the moon.
I saw the Manager on my way out and said what a nice guy Chris was. He said he’d spent three hours with him the night before and thought the same. He said had that made my day. Absolutely.
I floated out to the car park and the guy on the bungee trampoline asked me how I’d got on. He said he’d walked past and seen me talking to Chris. Then he’d gone off somewhere. He’d come back and I was still talking to Chris!
I went up to my Mum and Dad’s to regale them with my Chris sighting and show them the autographs, my painted hand and my dog.
After that went to Argos and bought a three drawer filing cabinet. Came home and started putting it together. I’ve pretty much finished it. Just having trouble with the slide things for the sliding drawers. I followed the instructions but, in fact, it would have been better to have screwed in the slide things before putting the back and sides together. It’s mostly finished. Just needs a couple more bits screwing in. I’ve abandoned that for today. Started sorting through my filing. The house is still in a certain disarray but getting slightly better.
Yesterday I had afternoon tea with Sean Connery.
No, really, I did. In my dreams at least. I woke up this morning and remembered the dream. Sometimes I remember, sometimes I don’t. I’d met Sean Connery somewhere and had asked him for an autograph. (Even in my dreams I’m starstruck). Anyway, we ended up chatting and he invited me to have afternoon tea with him. Of course I accepted. I don’t know where we went but it was quite posh and afternoon tea cost £32 per person. It said so on the menu!