>DERRICK and HOWARD JOHNSON

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I carried on Cycling and Working for the Co-op Butchery in Caister for a few months in mid to late 1982, but in the end, I got a message from the Area-Manager, asking to give him a Telephone Call!


I remember this as it was unusual occurrence, anyway I Phoned him, and he asked me if I would like to go and be Butchery Manager in the Cobholm Branch, this as it turned out was not such a Big Deal, as only One Butcher worked there!


I would be in Charge, doing everything myself, all the Butchery, all the Shop Serving and all the Bookwork, but Best of all, I would be on my own, working in a Small Supermarket, with a Few Old Woman Shop Assistants!


I jumped at the Chance of Working there and as it turned out, it was a Great place to Work!

One thing I always remember about Leaving the Caister Shop, the Manager (Derrick) gave me a Great Reference (which would come in handy later, if and when I left the Co-op) it was also his Recommendation that got me the move to Cobholm, so I was always Grateful to Derrick!

A few years later when I finally left Butchery, to go back into Catering, I had a few Great Reference’s by this time and Derrick’s was one of them, but when my Future New Boss followed up the Reference given to me by Derrick, he discovered that Derrick had Died a couple of years earlier, which I was Sad to find this out, as Derrick was a Great Bloke and a Great Boss.


As for the Music around the later part of the Summer of ’82, A second Single for former Niteflyte Lead Singer “Howard Johnson” called “So Fine” it Reached Number 1 in the Dance Chart.


The song was on A&M Records and Written and Co-Produced by “Kashif”


I believe Howard Johnson only ever Released 3 Solo Albums, but this Track along with the Track Released in 1985 called “Knees” were his Best 2 Tracks!

THE RACER & STONE COLD LOVER!

This must have been somewhere around Autumn time in 1982, I was still working in the Great Yarmouth Branch of the Co-op Butchery, and doing the odd day’s relief Work at the Caister Shop.


Then one day the shop Manager of the Caister Shop, “Derrick” asked me if I would like to do some Work in his Shop on a Permanent basis (as he thought I was a Good Reliable Worker), if he could get it Sorted with Head -Office, I said “Yes” straightaway, as I said in previous Post, I did not like my usual Shop Manager in Great Yarmouth!


So after a couple of weeks I started permanently working at the Caister branch, on a Monday, Wednesday & Friday, I had 2 Days off a Week & I did 2 days in the Yarmouth Branch.

I was still Cycling to work, so about 8/9 miles per day, 3 times per week, I must have been quite Fit!


But by this time around September/October time, it used to Rain a bit, so I had to wear Water-proof Trousers and Jacket, most days, Christ I used to Sweat, I thought I had done a days Work before I even got to work!  


I remember my Bike at that time, it was a Racer with 10 gears, it was painted Metallic Blue with Yellow Trim and Handle-bars, I had that Bike for several years, and later when I moved jobs , I still Cycled to work in Great Yarmouth, I must have clocked up Thousand’s of Miles on that Racer!


I Loved that Bike, nearly as much as The Wife!

Music around this time, one Great Album I remember Buying was “The Real Deal” by The Isley Brothers, it was on the “Epic” Record label and Produced by Ronald and Rudolph Isley.


It had a Great Couple of Tracks, (both Featuring  Great Guitar Playing by Ernie)   “All In My Lovers Eye”  but my Favorite was “Stone Cold Lover” this was a Rockier Track, I still play that Track quite often now!


Incidentally the Album got to number 9 in the US R&B Chart.

DOWNLOAD “THE REAL DEAL” ALBUM