Monday, 7 March 2016

Richard and Nicholas's Exciting Adventure

I used to be a staff sound recordist with the local ITV company, TVS. I was based in their Brighton office, a bit of a backwater. Sometimes my very good friend Richard would pay us a visit when the regular camera assistant went on leave, and we would egg each other on, each being a very bad influence on the other. This little piece shows how unbearable we could be.

Richard and Nicholas’s Exciting Adventure

                   “I say,” said Richard as he stared out of the grimy window at the brown brickwork of the car park opposite, “isn’t life flat?” The other occupant of the room said nothing. He was reading a publication that specialises in used cars and he was fantasising about owning a 3 year old Sierra. Richard knew how to elicit a response, though. From the desk he picked up his toy Bally, a three inch diameter ball made of tightly wound elastic bands, and threw it with all his strength at the wall barely millimetres from his associate’s head. Bally ricocheted around the room and came to rest on the floor, but not before Vic, the previously preoccupied prospective car purchaser, squawked in outrage: “Wossis, eh? Stop throwing that damn ball!”
                   “Bally is my friend,” replied Richard, “and he asked me to do that.”
                   “Bloody loony,” opined Vic and returned to his task. The outer door slammed and Nicholas sloped in, depressed already and it was only ten to nine in the morning.
                   “Fucking hell, another day,” he observed and added, seeing Bally on the floor, “has Bally had his morning walk?”
                   “Not really,” said Richard. “This common fellow here is objecting to it. Throw him out, would you?” Nicholas would very much have liked to have complied with this request, but alas he was a slave to convention and he felt constrained to desist. He contented himself with hurling himself into a chair. After a few seconds he raised his voice and said in an imperious tone: “Office cleaner! Bring tea.”
                   “Oojoo fink you are, cheeky sod,” came the response and a moment later the lined haggard face of Sweaty Betty popped round the door. “I’ll have no truck with mutinous insolence,” Nick continued. “Tea, now, or it will be the worse for you.”
                   At that moment Gerry arrived, greeting all with “Hello matey!”
                   “Ah, Blackett,” said Richard, in the tone of voice generally adopted by the aristocracy when addressing their more simple retainers. “You’ll find my boots outside the door. Make sure you give them a damn good shine or it’s the workhouse for you.”
                   “Oh yeah?” was the response.
“Yes, you idle workshy oaf , they must be cleaned immediately. If I was in charge around here I would have you thrashed soundly& then fired.  In fact , I shall- Blackett you're FIRED !!!!!”  Richard leant to one side to confide secretly with his best pal Nicky. “That told him eh? - no more insolence from that one , I'll be bound.”

The electrician then disappeared into another room muttering darkly about cheeky young sods - only a bloody camera assistant- who does he think he is- until the invective was heard no more and the sound of 2Ks being thrown against the wall was heard.  At this point ,gentle reader, I must point out how dashing the electrician looked in his eye catching, tightly fitting blue anorak from Milletts.

Having dispatched Blackett, Richard then noticed that Nicholas was having one of his funny turns . This was a reasonably regular occurrence . These turns happened when Nicholas, who is a sensitive, artistic soul , could take it no more. He would grip the sides of his chair whilst rocking backwards  & forwards,  quietly moaning to himself. Richard knew immediately that his best chum needed cheering up, even though it was still only one minute to nine in the morning.
“ I know Nicky, let’s have a rousing chorus of Workers Playtime, I'll get my banjo out and you can go  DUG A DUG A DUNG - OK?”  Nicholas seemed quite cheered at this prospect, & started cracking jokes about Douglas Arthur Dung, & proclaiming , 'Yesiree that's wanking porn!!!!!!
At this point the strange muttering Slark creature left the room , claiming he could stand no more. Richy & Nick were very satisfied with their work thus far that day - & it was still only 9.01 am.


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