Chapter 12: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
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We woke up Monday morning after our first proper nights sleep since
the previous Wednesday. We had the buffet breakfast and went back to
our rooms to pack. Nik was to pick us up at lunch time after his
morning at work. We killed time by watching the in-room TV,
principally comprised of middle aged American women in full make up
with big hair telling us about “the importance of being a mother” and
other exciting subjects. Shiny men with names like Brently P Narwhal
told us about the weather and sports we were not interested in. We
checked out by leaving our key-cards on our beds and went down to the
lobby to wait for Nik.
There in the lobby sat a guest PC, with internet access. It was
switched on. “It’ll need a card from reception” I confidently told
Ricardo, who, being nosey and brave in equal measures, sat down and
hit some buttons. “Nope, we’re connected to the net I think” he
reported.
I shoulder charged him out of the way.
This was the moment I had been waiting for. There was one website
on my mind all weekend. One place I had to check in. What had
happened in my absence? What messages lay in wait?
I nervously typed in the site address, not believing that The Hilton
would be careless enough to allow free net access to people they had
previously been eager to move along for daring to be sleepy in front
of paying guests. The site slowly loaded and the familiar picture and
welcome message appeared.
Yes! There it was, the one site that brought comradeship, joy and
despair in equal measures ? and look at that …..
Burnley 1, Derby County 0.
YYYYEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS……
GET IN THERE!!!!!!!! Who’s heard of DCFC now Nik??!!?? Result.
Next I looked in at SalserosCollective but nobody was in.
The pilot whose access card we were apparently using returned and we
decided to take a seat. Super Mario was checking out. We all chatted
about the Congress, Mario told us he had sold all his videos (insert substantial figure here).
“It’s not worth me doing stuff in the UK these days”
he told us.
He went on to demonstrate unhappiness with the current
London scene, where people complain about everything ? the floor, the
music, the DJs the teachers, the bar prices, anything and everything.
I told him he should come to Accrington for a class and he said he
would probably enjoy that more than his hometown the way things were
at present. He also told us he was fully booked with international
gigs until the end of October. He tucked his $ in his pocket, checked
out of his paid for room, caught his paid for flight and went home.
Very few DJs get that treatment at congresses, makes you think,
doesn’t it?
Nik turned up at 1pm and took us in his car past the departure area
at the airport. When he regained his sense of direction “they’re
always changing the roads” he lied to us, we headed for downtown
Boston.
We parked up in a smart area of town and headed for Niks
favourite sandwich bar. Conversations revolved around turtles, DJs,
football and music. And turtles again. After our [very good] sandwiches
we walked down the street past the smart shops, that we couldn’t
really afford, at that time, to shop in. Despite this, Ricardo went
in an up-market womans shoe shop, twice. “Not got your size love?”
we inquired. “They’re for Suzy” he said in a manner designed to put
us off the scent.
Nik drove us around Boston, nearly had a Jane style moment with a
fellow impatient motorist, and, after regaining his bearings [Nik
remained strangely unfamiliar with Bostons roads throughout our stay]
took us to his favourite CD shop. This was a Dominican run store
where Nik had never once received so much as a smile before today. To
be honest he didn’t really get one this time either, but the man and
woman behind the counter seemed friendly in a surly Do I Have To Get
Off My Seat To Take Your Money kind of way.
Between us they had to get off their stools [not a turtle reference]
a lot to pass us numerous CDs for us to say “naw” to. This was the
kind of store, as Nik had told us, where you could pick up low price
Colombian compilations of tracks not readily available elsewhere.
Ricardo liked this store a lot. He knew lots of the artists Nik and I
were ‘less familiar’ [i.e. were clueless] about. In the store were
certainly compilations I had not seen before. One that caught my eye
was a Ruben Blades and Willie Colon album, this made me think of, who
is that woman? Oh yes, Alison. If we had more time here it would have
been nice to at least have lunch but on this schedule not possible.
Alison, it might well be worth while going here – if you don’t
already, ask Nik if you are unsure where it is.
Prices in this store were great, mostly $10.99 a CD, some in bargain
bins too. Weakened by the sight of low price salsa albums, I bought
some $’s off Ricardo with my final few £’s and squeezed another 5
albums out of the trip:
Bobby Valentin ? Musical Seduction
Tony Pabon & La Protesta ? El Capitan
Orquesta Zodiac ? 4 album best of comp
Jose Mangual Sr. – Buyu
Baby Gonzalez ? Cocinando Salsa
The latter was on Niks recommendation and it is a real doozie, go and
get this one folks! Ricardo bought a few more here, including albums
by Luisito Carrion & Grupo Macambila. If he didn’t buy the
Revolucion ’70 one here, swap it for one I have him buying in NYC
for super-accuracy. Anyway, Ricardo picked up 5 albums here.
———-
Previously Deleted/Lost Scene
Restored Outtake:
Nik had to admit to something here that all of us who dress our obsession with salsa music up as ?a mere collectors interest? to our partners will recognise. ?I?ll have to smuggle these into the house? he said. You too eh Nik?
A truly international club. ?That?s not new darling, had it for absolutely ages. [often the lie is embellished further] ??..picked it up in a second hand shop, £2 or something, real bargain???
———-
As we left the store owner beckoned Nik back inside. Perhaps
he was going to receive a long overdue smile?
No, better, the owner passed Nik a complete wholesalers catalogue
of the entire Fania etc albums available for order. Nik would probably
tuck this under his pillow that night and sneak off into the bathroom in
the middle of the night with it tucked under his arm ? I know I would.
With marker pens too.
After this it was time to head to the airport, which having sensibly
cruised past earlier we were able to find without problems. We said
our farewells and gave Nik big thanks you’s, thinly disguised as
insults. Nik has a very British sense of humour. He uses sarcasm more
freely than regular Americans [or XXL Americans for that matter].
This made him very easy to get on with and it’s fair to say he had a
more familiar [to us] air about him. Very generous with his time,
especially given his extended role at the congress, spending time
with Nik at the end of the trip was a nice and relaxed, easy going
end to our stay. Thank you again Nik.
Checking in, Ricardo asked for an upgrade. “Oh, here we go” said the
pretending to be amused at the banter check in operative, “of course
sir, how about an empty seat between you, will that do?” she smiled,
sweetly.
What a cow.
When we boarded it was apparent that everyone else had an entire row
to themselves, some being completely empty.
Ricardo contemplated moving to a row of his own. The woman in front
of us moved as we were near the cabin crew area [I wasn’t budging, I
had a great view of, er, you know, the cabin crew].
This caused the only woman on board with two screaming brats to take
this seat, she too wanted to be near the cabin crew who it transpired she
hoped would provide a babysitting service [which BTW, they do not].
What noise, what puffy eyed, red cheeked, unhappy screeching came
from Ricardo’s seat as he decided to move to a place of his own, away
from da’ kids.
I put on my headphones, when I got to sleep, I’d have my revenge…….