Party In The Park - Part 1
by The Scholar
"Tonight? But how can we get tickets for something happening tonight?" I asked, feeling somewhat annoyed that I hadn't known about the biggest event of the year taking place in my town.
"I already got them," smiled Simon holding up a pair of tickets - beautiful Simon, the best friend a boy could have - he had tickets to the biggest event of the year, taking place in my town and he was holding one out to me.
"Wow! Amazing - I can't believe you actually got tickets. How much do I owe you?"
"They were a tenner each, but I knew you'd want to go."
"Too right, I do! Jesus, Simon, how come I didn't know about this? Where the hell have I been?"
"Dunno - it was in all the 'papers, on the local news, there's going to be a lot of people there."
"What time does it start?"
"About seven, we'll go down about five, should get a good spot if we do."
"Will it be early enough?"
"Should be. Why? You wanna go earlier?"
"About three."
"Three!"
"Why not - you said it was going to be packed, so we may as well go about three, get a good spot and we can get burgers, or something - there's bound to be a burger stand or two. There always is at these things."
"How do you know?"
"I've seen them on the TV."
Simon shrugged.
"Well, I'd best be getting home to get ready if we're going for three. It's nearly eleven now."
"Hang on and I'll give you that tenner."
I reached out to my bedside cabinet, picked up a crisp ten pound note, and handed it to Simon.
"Thanks," he said. "Am I seeing you there, or am I coming here first?"
"Come here first and we'll walk down together."
I accompanied him downstairs and to the front door and then dashed back up to get a quick shower and changed. I couldn't stop smiling. I couldn't rally believe that Simon had bought tickets for the biggest event of the year happening in our town.
The walk to the park wasn't a long one - about half an hour, if that, but we strolled at a steady pace. As we neared, we could hear the general hub of excitement as we realised that we weren't the only people who had decided to get there early. We had to join a queue and I looked around, pleased to see that Simon and I weren't the only boys in the queue. An event like this was more geared towards the female population, but, hell, what did I care?
The banners and posters proclaimed "Party in the Park" - and what a party it was going to be. All the biggest boy bands were lined up to appear and it was going to be spectacular.
I had discovered that this visit to our town was part of a national tour of parks and other open spaces and it had, indeed, been well publicised. How the hell had I missed it? I mean, anyone who was anyone on the charts at the moment was appearing and I could name the members of each band.
As Simon and I presented our tickets at the gate, we headed as near to the front of the crowd as possible to be as close to the stage as possible, to get the best view of the bands as possible. I couldn't believe I was still going to see them.
It was a friendly crowd of people with whom we shared the park - lots of laughter, lots of happy, smiling faces, everyone there was out to have a good time and if the atmosphere pre-event lasted to the event itself, then it would be electrifying.
"Wanna burger, or something?" asked Simon.
"Actually, I don't really feel hungry, I think I'm too excited."
"Well save some energy for later - we don't want you burning out too soon, do we?"
I laughed - I guess I was a little over excited - but this was the biggest event of the year and it was taking place in my town. How could I not be excited? I looked around and saw people holding up banners with the names of their favourite bands emblazoned across them - "Hypertension", "The J Squad", "High Density", "Wee Willie Winkie Dot Com" - I couldn't believe that I was there and asked Simon to pinch to make sure I wasn't dreaming. He did! It hurt! He laughed! So did I!
"Look, over there," I pointed, suddenly.
"Where?"
"There, by that black van."
"Oh, yeah - it's whatsisname from Hypertension, isn't it?"
"Marc," I said, "lead vocalist - and that's Dan, the bassist and Kevin the lead guitarist with him, which means the drummer, Christian, will be around somewhere."
"So it is - should've brought your autograph book."
"Damn, I never thought of that."
"I was only joking."
"I wasn't! Why didn't I think of it?"
"Well, look, there's a programme seller walking around somewhere, why not buy one and get that signed."
"Hey, that's a good idea, where is he?"
"In this crowd? He could be anywhere."
"Hang on, they were selling stuff by the entrance gate, weren't they?"
"Come to think of it, I think they were."
"Right, then, I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Get me one," called Simon to my retreating back.
I headed back through the expanding crowd to the main gate where I had spotted a large marquee selling a variety of memorabilia for the event - programmes, scarves, t-shirts, notebooks, pens - you name it, they sold it. I had to queue, but it was worth the wait and I bought two programmes, two pens and two burgers - well, actually, I had to queue again for those at the burger bar - I suddenly felt hungry.
I found Simon where I had left him and handed him one of each purchase and he thanked me.
"How much?" he enquired.
"I don't know - we'll sort it out later."
We sat, munching on cheeseburgers as we flicked through our programmes. There were photographs of all the bands and artists appearing and I looked around to see if the members of Hypertension were still in view. They were and had now been joined by their drummer and were chatting to a group of female admirers. I kept an eye on them as I ate my burger - I needed to get their autographs and didn't want them to disappear.
"Give me your programme," I said, as I wiped my sleeve across my mouth, removing anything that may have decided not to be part of the meal.
"Why, where you going now?"
"I'm going to get their autographs," I said, nodding towards Hypertension.
"Well, hurry up, or someone may grab your space."
"Bloody won't!" I said, defiantly. We had got a good spot and I wasn't going to allow anyone top have it.
Hypertension was a friendly lot, smiling and laughing with adoring female fans and had no problem with signing the two programmes I handed over for Simon and myself. As they signed, I swooned and very nearly missed Marc asking me to whom I wanted his best wishes signing.
"Paul," I said and added, "and Simon on this one."
He signed, I swooned and he handed back the programmes. I had all four signatures - one set for me and one set for Simon and then I spotted Lenny, Neph and E from High Density and dashed across to get their signatures and again I swooned as they put pen to paper and smiled at me.
I realised I was close to the backstage area and joined the small gathering of fans that had gathered in the hopes of more of the bands' members appearing. It was worth the wait. Warren, Ashdaw, Bob, Stephen and Wim from The Austins came out, so did the two Johns, Jimmy and Jay from The J Squad and everyone's favourite soloist Mihangel; and I even managed to get the autographs of Jamie, Mike and Invincible the trio that made up Wee Willie Winkie Dot Com and Jen and Jackie, the best duo on the charts.
I was in heaven. Everyone was so friendly, so full of energy and I could hardly wait for the music to start. I returned to Simon who still sat where I left him, to find him in conversation with someone I didn't recognise.
"Paul, this is Tim," he said, as I approached.
The stranger extended his hand and I accepted it as he smiled and said hello.
"Tim's the organiser of the event," Simon explained.
"I was just wandering around, gathering opinion from people and saw your friend here all by himself, a little unusual to be by yourself at an event like this. He said you were autograph hunting. How did you do?"
I beamed - I know I beamed - I could feel myself beaming, as I held out my programme, each page covered in ink as the members of each band had signed their best wishes, their good wishes, their tanks, their love, their whatever it was they signed to me as though I was their own special fan. Tim was impressed I could tell by the way he nodded his head approvingly.
"I got a set for you, too," I said, as I handed Simon his programme.
"Excellent, thanks, Paul. I wish I'd got to meet them, too."
"Well, listen - how about you two come back stage afterwards and meet the bands?"
"No way!" I exclaimed.
"If you want to, that is."
"Want to? You bet."
"That's sorted, then. I'll get a couple of backstage passes and bring them along later, okay."
"Thanks, Tim."
"No problem. I like to have a few of the fans meet the bands afterwards. See you later."
And with that he was gone.
Simon and I chatted excitedly about the prospect of going back stage after the biggest event to hit our town and were still talking as the music began.
First on stage was High Density who performed their two number one hits "Love is a Miracle" and "The Gift of Love", followed by The Austins, who rousing version of "Break It or Make It" created a hand-clapping extravaganza not to be missed. Mihangel performed his smash hit "Loving You Is What I Was Created For" and followed it with "Don't Be A Stranger In My Heart" - the list of tracks performed by the best boy bands in the world was outstanding and, although I didn't want it to end, I was thinking about meeting the bands backstage later.
By the time Hypertension brought the proceedings to a close with the current chart number one, "Who Told You I cared?" I was in heaven. I was clapping and stamping my feet and whistling for more.
"Paul, are you okay?"
"Of course, I am, aren't you?"
I turned to face Simon, my best friend with the blonde hair falling across his hypnotic blue eyes, a silly grin spread across his face as I came back down to earth.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
I guess my antics must have looked a little out of place as the final track on the CD, "Now That's What I Call A Boy Band" faded. Had it all really been in my imagination?
Simon shrugged. "Are you ready?"
"For what?"
"The Party in the Park - I thought you wanted to get there early."
I looked at him - it hadn't all been in my imagination - we really were going.
"Thanks for getting the tickets," I said, moving across my room towards him and planting a kiss on his lips.
"You're welcome," he smiled.
"We've plenty of time," I said and kissed him again.
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