Happy birthday William Gallas, Robert de Niro and V.S. Naipaul !
Willie, you’re 30 and captain of Arsenal. Being captain is an honour and a big challenge. Good luck with the armband and good luck with your season.
Sir Vida, you’re 75 and should now write short books like Eva Peron rather than long ones like Among the Believers, which was dull.
Bob, you’re 64 and you’ve handled your career better than Brando.Be happy !
Kirk Stevens, a snooker player I once interviewed, is 49.
Belinda Carlisle, whose voice I love, is also 49.
Did you guys get breakfast in bed today?
I did.
“I think I’ll have lunch in bed as well,” I said.
“Dream on !” said Jan.
Later, downstairs, she gave me a small parcel and I ripped off the turquoise wrapping paper and it was a polo shirt.
“Is black the new green?”
“Put it on, see if it fits.”
Fits beautifully and makes me look slimmer. But it’s too smart for a scruffy writer.
” I don’t go to smart places. Where am I gonna wear it?”
The kids gave me a book I want to read, White Bicycles by Joe Boyd, about London’s rock underground in the Sixties.
“I bet he doesn’t mention Jeff Dexter.”
I turned to the index and there he was: Dexter, Jeff, 148.
Jan met Jeff and Simona while our kids were having swimming lessons at Swiss Cottage. One day I was invited to fly kites on Hampstead Heath and I met this little guy and we got chatting and at first I didn’t realise that I was talking to the legendary promoter, DJ and manager. We’ve been close friends ever since.
Daddy’s little girl can’t be with us today as she’s gone travelling. Her friend Kara was teaching in El Salvador and said, “Come out and meet me in Guatemala and we’ll head north.”
Caroline’s email says : Happy birthday Daddy do dah !
HOPE YOU GET THIS THE MINUTE YOU PUT YOUR COMPUTER ON. ITS NOT YOUR BIRTHDAY HERE YET BUT THE WONDERS OF TIME DIFFERENCE MAKE MY MESSAGE PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE!
will try to call as soon as i get off the bloody long bus journey i am going on tonight and have found a hostel etc etc
Today, my head’s not right for writing.
On Saturday, when I get my feet black on planet earth, I’ll say something about the Blackburn -Arsenal game.