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A Report from Dave Burrows
I was surprised to find that my alarm clock was still in full working order after it had been hit so hard on the last
occasion that it had been used to wake me for a Michael adventure. This time the little hand of the clock had been set
for 4.00 am in good time, so I thought, to reach the train station for the 5.40 departure to London. What I had not
allowed for was the fact that at that time in a morning I am not feeling too energetic and rain was starting to fall.
Having dug out an old umbrella from the garage, I hurried the few hundred yards to the station. This
time I
was content in the knowledge that I had pre booked my ticket and did
not have to start any more arguments with the booking
clerk. After several cups of British Rail coffee (not recommended) and an uneventful journey, the train pulled in to Euston
station a good five minutes earlier than scheduled (mental note to congratulate Richard Branson on this fact).
I pass straight through to the tube station and ponder the best route to Hammersmith - change at Embankment seems to be the
line with the fewest stops. I feed a red machine with every coin in my pocket and I win a little pink ticket that
I assume will convey me to my destination. It does !!
The Novotel proved to be only a very short walk after emerging from the darkness of the London Underground and the sun
had also decided to put in an appearance - the world is good today. Somehow I manage to find the main hotel entrance
which is thronging with Japanese tourists making their departure from the previous night's stay - they are taking photographs
(of what or why I could not imagine) but I manage to pose in the background on as many of them as possible - well it passes
the time. I approach the hotel reception desk to discover that rooms will not be available for at least another
two hours. I had arranged to meet one of the US fans at about this time and we made our first greetings with much affection
after working out that we were the only two people with anxious looks on our faces and appearing lost. Time to
put plan B into operation - I can dump by luggage in her room - problem solved. Trickles of fans were now starting to
arrive with still an hour to go before the official start of
proceedings.
Gill and Maureen are spotted and just time for a quick 'Hello' before they continue with the many tasks still lying ahead
of them. Doors to the foyer of the conference suite open right on schedule and now time to investigate the many
Michael 'goodies' on offer - Beanie Bears, T-Shirts, souvenir programmes, photos, key rings, mugs - the list goes on and on.
A queue immediately forms to purchase raffle tickets - every time I looked it just got longer and longer and so I bribe someone
at the front while I join the equally important queue at the drinks bar. Table numbers for lunch have already
been allocated and so as soon as the doors to the main suite are opened, the gathered masses head for their seats to find
beautifully laid out tables with linen napkins and printed menus -
everything done in a style to fit the occasion.
I am hungry now and sit down to make the acquaintance of those on my table
who I do not already know.
I eagerly eye the bread roll to my left but there are already distractions from the stage where the compere, Keith Harris,
has an announcement to make. "There is some bad news - and there is some even worse news". Everyone
in the room looks at each other with quizzical eyes and open mouths. "Lunch is going to be about another hour". My appetite
is now ravishing and I feel rumblings of stomach pain - I have a Mars bar somewhere so I dare say I could cope. The
worse news can only be one thing (all eyes turn to heaven, hands are sweating) and Keith further announces "As we know,
Michael had planned to join us later in the afternoon but there has been a last minute change of plan". Now, I
thinks to myself - there is something funny going on here and this has got to be a wind up (please God let it be a wind up).
I doubt I have ever heard 600 Michael fans making so little noise and all at once !! Pins could be heard dropping if
you listened carefully. Keith waits for a moment before continuing "The Head Chef if going to come out and explain
things to you
all in more detail". A figure dressed in white with a makeshift chef's hat appears from the rear
of the stage. Now since when has Michael Ball been Head Chef at the Novotel !!! We all gasp huge sighs of
relief, realising it was all one big joke and spontaneously applaud the arrival of the man himself.
Michael explains that there has had to be some late re-arranging of the rogramme of events due to the fact that
he is joining the family on holiday and needs to be at Gatport Airwick for a 4.00 pm flight to Spain. The meal and my hunger
are temporarily put out of mind but the wrapper is coming off that Mars bar !!
On closer examination it could be made out that Michael was wearing a cream suit (maybe it could have been similar looking
jacket and trousers), white shirt and black shoes. Looking well ? Yes he was looking very well indeed. He
took a seat on a high bar stool ready to answer a few of the questions that fans had een requested to write down on
slips of paper that by this time had been put into a box near to the stool. Some fans started to bring presents
to the stage and a few more were standing in front of their tables. A polite request from Keith for veryone
to resume their seats was very quickly heeded and the question and answers session began. Michael answered what seemed to
be close on 30 questions.
He seemed very much to enjoy giving answers to some very well thought out questions and I was personally pleased to hear
how much he likes to sing 'Gethsemane' despite the fact that it is a difficult song to perform. Nods of agreement from
all corners of the room. There was a request from one fan for Michael to sing gazing into my eyes and the reply to this
one was 'I don't think I know that one'. However, the request was granted and when the young lady came up close to the
stage Michael gazed in to her eyes as asked but sang 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport' !! Howls of laughter. Other
questions Michael replied to with just an answer and left us guessing what the question was - wicked sense of humour !!
In reply to one question about what he always carried with him, Michael showed us his grandmother's wedding ring which
he now wears on a chain around his neck as the ring was getting too small for his finger or his finger was getting too big
for the ring AND giving up smoking is not going to make it any smaller. Standing ovation and loud cheers (Darlene
will be pleased) to this news and Michael said that as this was only from one week ago, he needed all the encouragement
he could get and seemed to appreciate the enthusiasm shown. Notes were scribbled in diaries throughout the room
to ensure that a careful watch is kept on this good news. We are all allowed to give him a slap if he is caught
- I heard if with my own ears so I am passing this permission on to every single one of you.
Every answer given had been full of warmth and fun and I detected a boyish grin on Michael's face throughout almost every
minute. In what seemed all too short a time, it was time for the inevitable departure but, before leaving, Michael
gave some details of his next CD. It had been agreed that it should contain fourteen tracks but as there seems
to be some difficulty in deciding which of the original eighteen should be left out, then they will all be left in.
Release date round about early October time. The main prize for the raffle was produced - what a magician this
man is - a signed demo CD of one of the tracks that Michael has written himself. Ooooos and aaaaahhhs from all corners
of the room. Even more to give - this time for us all to watch later in the afternoon - a video of the recent performance
at Chippenham. All good things must come to an end at some time and now was the time - planes wait for no man, not even Michael.
Time to go but also time for all to shout our thanks and to show our appreciation and admiration for the private time that
Michael had unselfishly given. THANK YOU Michael - enjoy your well deserved holiday and come back to us soon -
we will still be here.
For those of us left behind and much to the relief of my hunger pains, we then enjoyed a lovely three course lunch complete
with several visits to the bar and a half mile hike to the toilets thereafter. Would all the ladies that used
the gents loos because they were nearer please own up - thank you - we know who you are !!
With all the post lunch activities, quizzes, videos and awards completed it was now well over five hours since we had
assembled and I can say without fear of contradiction that every minute was one to relish. So many new friends
made, so many old ones reunited once more. If any other Fan Club wants to know what it is REALLY all about then
they will have to bid very highly for our secret formula - it will not come cheap.
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