It felt good to be back on the road and driving away from London after all this work. The driving only becomes wearing in the middle of a long tour, but when it's just the odd gig here and there then it feels like a release. I was, however, aware that I was pretty tired and so had to make sure I didn't start driving as if I was half way through a dream. It's OK for a podcast, but can have more serious repercussions if you're on the motorway.
I was going up to Birmingham to perform "The Headmaster's Son" at the Glee Club. I am in
Brighton on Friday - only a few tickets left- so this is a bit of a mini tour. Someone had sent me a bootleg CD of an Edinburgh show after I had mentioned that I wasn't totally clear on remembering how the show went, but I haven't had time to listen to it yet and it would have been way too organised to listen to it in the car, so I just ran through bits of it and hoped for the best.
As it turned out I think I got most of it all right on the night and it was fun to do it again. In Edinburgh it was always such a rush to finish on time (which I never did, but that just added to the panic), so it was cool to be able to take it a little more slowly and to throw in the odd new comment if anything struck me. It has been a long time since I put that trumpet to my lips and I made quite a botch of it tonight - but that just makes it funnier I suppose.
I didn't quite have the control over the material that I had had after three and half weeks of constant performance, but it seemed to get an OK reaction from the 150 Brummies who had come along to see me.
The drive home was slightly more tricky, given the waves of tiredness that were sweeping over me, but luckily I got a clear run and was home before midnight. Thoughts of the recent case of the
goalkeeper who killed those kids driving recklessly (and drunkenly) down the motorway in the middle of the night helped to keep me concentrating on what I was doing. It's such a tragic case for everyone concerned, but I think to be calling for a longer gaol sentence for this stupid man is missing the point. He has to live with what he's done for the rest of his life and it doesn't make much difference if he is in prison or elsewhere - it's not something you're ever going to get over or forget about. It is beyond terrible for the family that have had to go through this unnecessary tragedy, but I think this is a case where the man responsible has created his own punishment. And as a driver it doesn't make me think - "Oh I'll drink drive then, if the worst thing that will happen to me is 3 and a half years in gaol". It makes me think, "Christ, I'd hate to be the man who killed two kids because I was driving drunk - or even driving badly. I will do my best to ensure that never happens to me." So imprisoning him isn't necessary in order to make an example of him. I can understand why the parents would want him put away for longer, but what good will that do? And he may still be alive, but his career is over and he has a lifetime of going over and over his stupid mistake. I'd hate to be that guy and yet I suppose I know that even by driving when I am tired I am creating risk.
Ah well, nice happy thoughts for after a comedy gig.
Also good to see that Iceland has "stolen" all our council tax. I think that Gordon Brown should get the army to storm into Reykjavik and take over the penis museum and take all those penises hostage until the money is returned. The Icelandic people would soon find the money if we hold them by the penises.
