Thursday 17th April
Awoke at 6am, a healthy nine hours sleep. Went for a longer than usual walk alone. Done my 'chores’. The sound man will have problems with sound today as my stomach is doing cartwheels... feels like pre-pitch nerves.
I've thrown around in my empty head the kinds of things I would like to say to each of the guys today, but I'm sure in the moment those words will slip away. I hope I can find a few more though. I want it to be over but I want to enjoy it too, whatever happens I'm confident I won't forget April 17th.
First off we went to see Scott who was in the band room. Good to see him. He commented on the suit, I told him I was applying for a job as gong-hitter. Got him to sit down and told him how much I respected what he had done after his illness. Also, how important the band was. I then told him who I was, he instantly said "in that case do you want to be a sponsor" and I said "funny you should say that, I do" and reached in my pocket for the cheque. His face was priceless as it drained of colour and hit the floor! I offered him a gift of £10,000. We chatted a bit and he was glassy-eyed but OK. Turns out the band were in a much worse state than I'd been led to believe. He said they were near 'closing the doors'. Scott was going to get the band together to tell them the night before they headed to Scotland on Saturday for the competition. I thought I was going to get upset but then he did, so I was fine!
Next stop Jimmy.
