"The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

[ozthecoz]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

by eck, fire both barrels why don't ya

Anyway, cant of been that bad otherwise you wouldn't still br greasing your quiff and telling us all about your fantastic Journey

as others have said, there's a book in this

 

[Rockabilly]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Chapter Thirty Six… “The Americana”

I was married in October 2008, by June 2010 it was over. Well, that went well didn’t it!? From the minute I was diagnosed with Leukaemia, my marriage to Julie was in trouble. My illness had hit her as hard as it had hit me. Also it was no secret that Julie wasn’t a big fan of the fairgrounds. The same goes for my love of the 1950s lifestyle too. I would often meet Crockerpod and we’d go out to rockabilly events together. My wife would rather sit in front of the tv watching Emmerdale. She soon started resenting me going to work to paint the rides. I’m sure she used my illness as a stick to beat me with. The final straw came when she’d flushed my chemotherapy tablets down the toilet. I stayed in the marital home until the October of 2010.

July is the month when the Newark and Notts Americana took place on the Newark show ground. July 201O was the year the 20th Century Thriller attended the Americana. The Americana was Europe’s biggest Country music and Rockabilly event. Also there were bands from the 60’s and 70s in attendance too. The Rubettes, Suzi Quatro, Darts, Alvin Stardust, Manfred Mann had all appeared at the festival along side the very best country and rockabilly acts too.

I’d always loved attending the Americana when I was working on Hyman’s Dodgems. It was my chance to catch up and have a beer or two with all my rockabilly pals. Fairgrounds and rockabilly music… what more could I want. It was one my most favourite places on this earth.

A few months before we were due at the Americana, I’d been persuaded by Crockerpod to join Facebook. Facebook worked well for me back in those days, I used it as a platform to promote the Ark for rock ’n’ roll and rockabilly events. Even Alvin Stardust and Shakin Stevens had commented and promoted the Ark on their Facebook pages too.

Speaking of Facebook I’d noticed a Geordie lass posting some good rockabilly tunes on her wall. A lot of those tunes I’d never heard before, she certainly knew her music. Her name was ‘Joolz’ and she came from Gateshead. I’d noticed from her Facebook wall, she was going to attend the Americana. So I posted on her wall and told her about the Ark attending the festival. So we kind of struck up a friendship.
Over the short period of time I’d noticed Joolz could often get angry on there. Things like “All men are bastards and a waste of time, I’ve never met a good one yet!” I decided to reply to her comments. “Not all men are bad” I told her. “I’m fed up with being messed about by people!” She would often say on her Facebook wall. Boy this was one angry Geordie. Every time Joolz had a rant on Facebook I would always reply “Don’t let the bastards grind you down”. I don’t know whether it was the ghost of Rembrandt taking over me, but for some strange reason, I was attracted to Joolz. I was determined to try and tame her.

The day before the Americana I had recorded twenty Cd’s of the very best in Rockabilly and Rock ’n’ Roll music. Now… during my short time of knowing Joolz the irate Geordie on Facebook, I’d learned that her favourite tune was by an artist called Shorty Long, and he sung a tune called ‘Nine Little Kisses’. Knowing that Joolz was going to attend the Americana and fingers crossed she was going to have a ride on the Ark, I’d put that Shorty Long tune on every one of those Cds.

The day of the Americana had arrived. I was very much looking forward to the event, after all this was my favourite music festival and hopefully I was going to finally meet the irate Geordie.

The Rides had opened midday. It was about 2pm when I noticed a bashful lass looking at the ride. I waved her to come over to me. When she got within talking distance, I asked “Are you Joolz the angry Geordie?” I asked with a cheeky grin on my face. She laughed as she replied “I’m not angry… and yes, I’m Joolz”. “Well one thing’s for sure, you’re nowhere near as scary as you are on Facebook” I said. Myself and Joolz had a brief conversation and I then managed to persuade her to have a ride on the Thriller. Now for some reason I filmed her on that ride… hanging on for dear life she was. After the ride Joolz went off back to the festival to meet her friends.

Throughout the weekend I kept looking out for Joolz but I never saw her again until the last day just as she was about to leave for her long trip back up to Gateshead. We gave each other a hug and a peck on the cheek and then she left. I’d failed in my attempt to try and land Joolz. Well that was the end of that then. The ghost of Rembrandt had let me down!

 

[Bryn Gunn]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

This is in depth stuff Rocka, thanks for sharing, it takes some bollocks to post all this up on a forum and we are all on the ride here with you.

 

[Viktor]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Ark at Rockabilly sliding onto Joolz's Facebook wall like a bloody tennager

If you'd have given it 5 years you'd have tried to get her Snapchat

 

[Rockabilly]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Anyway, cant of been that bad otherwise you wouldn't still br greasing your quiff

 

[Rockabilly]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

This is in depth stuff Rocka, thanks for sharing, it takes some bollocks to post all this up on a forum and we are all on the ride here with you.

Cheers pal. :cheers:

 

[Rockabilly]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Ark at Rockabilly sliding onto Joolz's Facebook wall like a bloody tennager

If you'd have given it 5 years you'd have tried to get her Snapchat

:tophat: This has literally just made me spit me Horlicks out!

 

[Harvey]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

I nominate this thread for LTLF Gold status

All those in favour say aye...

 

[Bryn Gunn]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

I nominate this thread for LTLF Gold status

All those in favour say aye...

Aye without any doubt.

 

[NooForest]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Wye Aye Lad. -. The Geordie Lass has landed on the Catwalk at last.

Chapter Thirty fuckin Six but better late than never

As David Essex once said -. " Rock On "

 

[Redemption]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

You're going to land that Geordie lass Rockabilly, I can feel it in my bones.

 

[Strummer]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

I nominate this thread for LTLF Gold status

All those in favour say aye...

This will happen.

 

[Rockabilly]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Wye Aye Lad. -. The Geordie Lass has landed on the Catwalk at last.

Chapter Thirty fuckin Six but better late than never

As David Essex once said -. " Rock On "

 

[Rockabilly]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

You're going to land that Geordie lass Rockabilly, I can feel it in my bones.

Maybe... maybe not.

 

[Buckaroo]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

I've always been good at remembering dates from the past, especially music dates. I've won hundreds of pop quizzes due to my good memory. Also I've still got a lot of the letters and photos I received from the lasses back then. I often scribbled a date and the Gaff, on the back of the envelopes.

When I comes to remembering dates from the last five years I'm useless.

Mrs B always asks how come I remember seemingly random dates in Forest's history but I can't remember our wedding anniversary...

 

[I'm Red Till Dead]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Mrs B always asks how come I remember seemingly random dates in Forest's history but I can't remember our wedding anniversary...

Because you're a typical man!

 

[Rockabilly]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Because you're a typical man!

 

[Rockabilly]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Chapter Thirty Seven…. “The End Of An Era.”

The Americana has and always will be my favourite event. Rock ’n’ Roll bands and Fairgrounds all in one place. Posing on the rides then off to the main hall for some good old rockabilly and a jive with a lass or two and of course a few beers.

It was at the Americana I had starting feeling ill again. I knew in my heart of hearts I was not a well man. Things were getting worse again. I was getting more tired, more than usual. I was pretty sure the chemo tablets weren’t working. I’d work on the ride for an hour then go into Crockerpod’s caravan for a sleep for an hour or two. I knew there was no way I could go on like this. Every now and again I would go back on the ride and do my bit. I was far too weak to even think about jumping the ride or showing off my Gaff Lad skills. I needed to get back to the hospital.

After the Americana I returned to the hospital. They gave me more blood tests, along with another small bone marrow operation. It was at this moment I was advised to give up work. I’d end up killing myself if I were to carry on. It was the end of the fairs and the end of my painting too. The 2010 Americana was the last time I’d ever work on the fairs ever again.

Life had become unbearable at home, so in the October, I decided to move out and stay with my brother in Melbourne, Derbyshire. My brother Paul and his wife Sandra looked after me until I found a place of my own. I moved into a flat in Melbourne. It was a grotty flat. I mean a real shit hole!

I’d only been in the flat a few months and felt depression creeping in. I had no wife, my dad had died, no proper home, no job and no funfairs. I was on a downward spiral. Things were very bad. I was 48yrs old and on the scrap heap. I wasn’t eating, shaving or even having a proper wash. I was slowly giving up. I'd cut myself off from all my friends and family. By the time I’d reached my 49th birthday in the June, I was in a serious state. Things were very bad, I’d turned my phone off, got rid of the internet, refused to answer my door and worst of all… I’d stopped taking my chemo tablets. I’d hit rock bottom, I wanted to die. I’d lay in bed all day hoping I’d never wake up again. By now, my brother had realised there was something seriously wrong. I eventually let him in my flat. He was shocked at the way I’d become. He was very concerned about my health. He took me straight to the doctors. I was diagnosed with severe depression. The hospital sorted out chemo and got my illness back under control.

Step one of my recovery was my brother and wife helped get me some better accommodation to live in. Step two, he got me back onto the internet. Paul and Sandra were effectively giving me a kick up the backside. I’d go around to their house everyday to have regular meals and they’d help me attend my appointments. I would sit in the local cafe every morning sipping on a mug of tea feeling sorry for myself waiting for the pubs to open so I could drink my troubles away. My health was improving but my depression wasn’t. The doctors had got me on all sorts of tablets. My life was still a mess, I had nothing.

It was in the July when my brother set me up a new Facebook account. “Get yourself on there and start looking for your old pals!” He told me. “Going back of Facebook will give you a purpose in life, something to get up for in the mornings”. So, I went back on Facebook. It wasn’t too long before I was back in touch with my old pal Crockerpod. He informed me that everyone was worried about me. It had been nine months since anybody had last heard from me. He also told me that he’d had received a private message from Joolz the Geordie. He told me she was asking after me. BINGO! I felt a new zest take over me! I plucked up the courage to get in touch with Joolz via Facebook.

When I’d found Joolz’s Facebook page guess what nothing had changed. “All men are bastards, I’m sick of people pissing me off and letting me down!” Was again written at the top of her Facebook wall. “Don’t let the bastards grind you down” was my reply again to her post. Later that day I had received a private message from Joolz. It read “Hello stranger long time no hear. I’d heard that you were ill and I’d thought you’d snuffed it” she said. “Well I’ve got news for the Geordie girl, I’m back from the dead”. We spent the next few hours messaging and having a good catch up. It had been twelve months since I’d last spoken to Joolz. Things were looking up.

 

[Battered Sausage]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

I looked on her FB account and all I saw was some bumpkin sitting in a pumpkin patch.

(PS sorry for stalking you )

 

[Captain Sinister]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Chapter 36/37: I knew it... sad... bigly sad, but then with a flourish you end Chapter 37 with the wheel of life on an upturn.
What you wrote in the few sentences about your depression, and your withdrawal from life cracked me up.
Mrs asked why I had tears in my eyes, so I let her have a read... she sends her best wishes and says I've got to let her read Chapter 38 when you post it.

 

[Redemption]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

RIP Rockabilly.

Too soon?

Chapter Thirty Seven…. “The End Of An Era.”

When I’d found Joolz’s Facebook page guess what nothing had changed. “All men are bastards, I’m sick of people pissing me off and letting me down!” Was again written at the top of her Facebook wall. “Don’t let the bastards grind you down” was my reply again to her post. Later that day I had received a private message from Joolz. It read “Hello stranger long time no hear. I’d heard that you were ill and I’d thought you’d snuffed it” she said. “Well I’ve got news for the Geordie girl, I’m back from the dead”. We spent the next few hours messaging and having a good catch up. It had been twelve months since I’d last spoken to Joolz. Things were looking up.

This is why mrsR hates watching telly with me... psychic.

It's a great story Gary, and I'd love to hear you tell it.

 

[Rockabilly]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Chapter 36/37: I knew it... sad... bigly sad, but then with a flourish you end Chapter 37 with the wheel of life on an upturn.
What you wrote in the few sentences about your depression, and your withdrawal from life cracked me up.
Mrs asked why I had tears in my eyes, so I let her have a read... she sends her best wishes and says I've got to let her read Chapter 38 when you post it.

Bless you, and your Wife Captain.

 

[Rockabilly]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

This is why mrsR hates watching telly with me... psychic.

It's a great story Gary, and I'd love to hear you tell it.

Thanks redemption, perhaps over a beer or two after lock down. :cheers:

 

[Rockabilly]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Chapter Thirty Eight… “The Angel Of The North”

It was late July 2011, me and Joolz had now gone from Facebook messaging to proper text messaging on our phones and chatting too. Things were going very well between us.

It was a hot July afternoon when I’d returned home from the hospital. My brother owns his own private fishing lake. So Paul suggested we spent the afternoon fishing at the lake. His lake is well stocked with carp. Bloody big carp too. So off I went to the lake with my brother Paul. We set our rods and tackle up and began carp fishing. Every now and then I’d receive a text from Joolz. I’d keep her up to date with my progress with the fishing. Because I’d not long returned from the hospital, I was still feeling very tired. Every time my brother caught me napping he would shout over “Don’t fall a sleep. If you get a big ‘un it will pull your rod into the water” Well guess what… I had just nodded off for a few seconds, when SPLASH! As I looked up, a bloody great big fish had hooked itself up on my line and then dragged my rod away across the lake. I leapt straight into the lake fully clothed including my motor cycle boots to chase after my rod. I climbed out of the water soaking wet, with my boots still full of water! That brother of mine just stood there, laughing his head off! “I told you not to fall asleep!” He laughed. My brother eventually retrieved my fishing rod.

That day at the lake fishing, was the first happy day I’d had in nearly twelve months. The following day there was some good news heading my way, that would put a big smile back on my face.

So the next day, there I was standing in the chip shop, just as I was being served, my phone rang. It was Joolz, she had invited me up to Gateshead, to stay at her place for a couple of nights. ”Oh boy!” I shouted. The lady serving me in the chip shop must have thought I was nuts. Our date was set for August 12th. I couldn’t wait!

On the morning of August 12th I set off on my journey to Gateshead. This felt so right. I could feel it in my water. When I arrived at Gateshead, I parked my car and knocked on the door of the address that I’d been given. The door was opened within seconds, it was Joolz! She took one look at me and said “you look a bit scrawny from the last time when I saw you Pet.” I took her in my arms and gave her a massive kiss in the doorway.

After a cup of tea and a bite to eat, Joolz took me to Asda at the Metro Centre. She told me I looked poorly and that I needed feeding up. Oh yes… she fed me up alright.

As we sat chatting away, Joolz got onto the subject of the Spanish City. The Spanish City was a Fun Fair at the seaside town of Whitley Bay. She told me how when she was a child, her mother would take her regularly to the Spanish City. Then she went on to tell me about her days spent there as a teenager. This was great, it was going well. I told Joolz about the time I’d visited the Spanish City myself back in 1996. She then went on to talk about the ‘Shuggy Boats’ that stood on the sands. “Shuggy Boats? What the hell are they?” I asked. She laughed out loud in amazement that a so called ‘fair lad’ had never heard of Shuggy Boats!
The following day we drove over to Whitley Bay to see where the Spanish City had once stood. Only the ‘Dome’ had survived, nothing was left of the Fun Fair.
As we sat and had a drink at the cafe, I was telling Joolz all about the song that the pop group Dire Straits had sung, the one about working on the Fairgrounds and Spanish City, called ‘The Tunnel of Love’. I’d always loved that song. Now that tune meant even more to me, who’d ever thought I’d meet a girl that had spent her teenage years at the Spanish City.

After our day at Whitley Bay, we went to South Shields next. It was a lovely warm summers day. We strolled along the seafront holding hands. Had a drink and a bag of chips too. We then walked through ‘Ocean Beach’. Ocean Beach was the name of the seaside Fun Fair at South Shields. This was the first time I’d been near a fair since my career had been cut short through my illness. I was a bit weary about the fair at first. Walking through the fair was no problem what so ever. I even managed to take a few photographs of the rides.

During our time at Whitley Bay I’d explained to Joolz all about my illness and how it could effect my/our lives together. She fully understood what I told her. I must admit it was a huge weight of my mind, but it needed to be said.

My long weekend at Gateshead was soon coming to an end. It had been the best weekend I’d had in many a year. Everything felt so right. It was now time for my long drive back to Derbyshire. On my journey back home, I passed the Angel of the North. As I passed the famous piece of modern art, I looked at it and said to myself… “I’ve found MY Angel of the North, and she’s made me feel better and put me back on my feet again”. That f***ing Leukaemia and depression hadn’t beat me! And NO way was it ever going to beat me! Happy, happy Gary!

 

[Battered Sausage]

Re: "The Tunnel of Love" My life on the Traveling Fairgrounds, by rockabilly.

Oh like the Spanish city to me , when we were kids...


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