Ed Salmon
I remember being in a bar with Simon, Simon was in conversation with someone
that was getting quite heated, and he finished with, "anyhow, I'm not
bothered because I've got an Ed". He turned round laughing, as I was by
now and so did this other chap who looked at my chest and then looked upwards
and walked away! From then onwards we formed a really close friendship.
But then it
wasn't all about drinking in the City. It was little things like giving each
other a lift to the station. I had a clapped out Mondeo at the time and he had
a typical petrol heads car, a limited edition Subaru Imprezza. Every Wednesday
he got the 18:07 home which meant that I got a lift round to the car park and we
always listened to Radio 4 which quite often had comedy moments on it.
Sometimes when I was working on a Saturday I would stop off in
Fenstanton on my way home for a natter with Simon and a catch up. This more
often than not ended up with me playing Scalectrix with Katie and Zack and
Simon just sat there, happily watching. Another time we went out together on a
Saturday night and we went to see a band at The George. The really odd thing
was that we were talking about a track at the King Bill and when we got in the
George the first song that we heard the band play was the song we were talking
about earlier. So anyhow as we were both getting a little worse for wear,
mainly due to me matching my pints with Simon's Bacardi and Coke, he suggested
that I stay at his. So we staggered back to his where he paid the baby sitters
and got down to making some food and what cracking nosh it was too. Bachelors
Super Noodles on toast. I'd never had it before and I've never had it again
since. Anyhow that morning Zack had come downstairs and rushed back upstairs to
tell his Daddy that there was a giant asleep on the sofa. Simon rushed
downstairs forgetting that I was asleep down there!
My next memory was and this is true, the day Simon drank real ale,
yes ladies and gentlemen, REAL ALE. The occasion was one of Barbara's world
famous barbies. Barbara had got a box of Badger beer in to cater for real ale
heads, like me and I managed to get him onto a variety of Badger beer that had
a very fruity taste. I'm not sure if it was before Katie and Zack had
demolished all of the "special" sausages that I'm sure 2 readers
might find amusing but I know that Simon and myself certainly took the p** out
of the person who was running the barbie, Adrian! But it was good to see Simon,
at least once drink something else rather than Bacardi/Coke and Champagne.
Ah yes champagne. That reminds me of another Simon
story. That lovely caring side to him that we all knew and loved. It
was a Friday in July a couple of years ago and just before I was about to leave
work we had an incident which kept me there till 9pm. I'd been at work since
early doors and was absolutely drained, mentally and physically! Anyhow I rang
Simon to tell him my dilemma and he was in London at a bar in Moorgate
drinking champagne and would I like to join him. I got there at 930pm and I
drank champagne all night and he listened to me and would not let me put my
hand in my pocket all night. He would always listen and take time but then I
always was there the same for him and I know I made a positive impact on his
life.
I hope you all enjoy my Simon stories. I'm sure I've missed some
out. But then being "his Ed", I need to keep some to myself.