The Date was around Late Summertime of 1988, the Takeaway Trade Never really picked up too much during that Summer, and things were getting Worse, Trade was Dropping and in turn that Meant I was Making Hardly any Money, and I can Remember the Takeaway Lack of Business was starting to effect my Family Life!
I was doing a lot of Arguing with Susan and Moaning at the Kids, so things Needed Changing, I had put a Lot into the Takeaway and Did Not want to Close it for Good!
I Cant Remember what Day of the Week it was, but I do Remember Susan Phoning me up one Night, to see how things were Going, and as Usual, Not Too Much was Happening, she then asked “How I was Feeling” I Remember saying to her, I Felt like Putting my Head in the Deep Fat Fryer!
Now that wont have done me a lot of Good, I know, but that is How Bad I Felt, Susan said Straightaway, “Shut that Bloody Shop Down and Come Home”
And for once in my Life, I Did Not do Too Much Thinking of the Concequences of what will Happen, I just Turned Everything Off and Walked out of the Takeaway!
I got into my Van and went Straight Home, I Remember Susan and the Kids, being Very Surprised and Very Happy when I got there!
That in Hindsight was Probably the Worst I had Ever Felt in my Life about “My Job or My Working Life”
I Remember the Next Day after it all Settled Down, I thought to Myself “What the Hell am I now going to do about a Job, Now”
I also had to Contact the Landlord, to tell him what had Happened, and I Knew then, this was when my Troubles were Really Going to Start, I Did Not Like him either!
I had a Lease on the Takeaway, I Cant Remember “How Long it was For” but, I knew he (the Landlord) was going to want that Paid Up or he would go after what was “Put up as Collateral, on the Takeaway” and that was “My Mothers House”
I then had to seek Advice from Various different People, including, Citizens Advice Bureau, Business Advice Places, a Solicitor etc, what a Nightmare that all was!
After doing all this for a Couple of Weeks, the Outcome was amongst other things, I had to Straightaway go, Bankrupt!
What a Shock this was, I was like Most People of my Age (around 30), had some Debt through being Married with Kids etc, but this was Really Something Else, they were Going to go through my Life and Finances etc like I had never Experienced before and have not Experienced Since!
As this would eventually Turn Out (the Bankruptcy), Apart from One other Incident in my Life, Would Probably be the Worst Period of Time in my Life!
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As for some Music, I think I may have Featured the Following Track before in this Blog, but who Cares, this I reckon is One of the Best Soul Records Ever Released!
It was Written and Recorded in 1963, so its now 50 Years Old, It was not actually Released as a Single until about 2 Weeks after Sam Cooke was Killed on 11th December 1964!
The Song is the Great “A Change is Gonna Come” what a Fantastic Song this is, it was Later to be used by the “Civil Rights Movement” in the USA during the 1960’s.
This Song was a Change of Direction for Sam Cooke, as he had Previously Recorded Songs for the “Pop Market” and Feared he would Lose his “White Fans” if he Recorded a Song about “Discrimination and Racism” in the US during the 1960’s!
The Song Peaked at Number 31 on the US Billboard Top 100 and Number 9 on the US R&B Singles Chart.
This Song been Recorded by Many Great Soul Artists over the Years, including amongst others, Al Green, Otis Redding and Luther Vandross, it has also been Voted by the Magazine “Rolling Stone” at Number 12 in the Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh and just like the river I’ve been running ever since
It’s been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
It’s been too hard living but I’m afraid to die
Cause I don’t know what’s up there beyond the sky
It’s been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
I go to the movie and I go downtown somebody keep telling me don’t hang around
It’s been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
Then I go to my brother
And I say brother help me please
But he winds up knockin’ me
Back down on my knees
Ohhhhhhhhh…..
There been times that I thought I couldn’t last for long
But now I think I’m able to carry on
It’s been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
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