Special mention should go to the star, Tom Chambers. I was aware he had been in a few shows such as "Holby City" and "Strictly" but had never really seen him in action. His presence worried me as I, somewhat cynically, take the view that shows featuring minor to middling tv personalities do this to distract the audience from other deficiencies in the performance. Not so here. As someone who cannot act, sing or dance (the local ambulance service usually declare major incidents when I get on the dance floor) I am generally impressed by people with any one of those talents. Chambers was managing all three simultaneously and singing in an American accent to boot. That impressed me. What impressed me more was that he compensated for the fact he was neither a singer nor a dancer with sheer enthusiasm. A good performance from him and a good show all round.
Because the show is out of my usual stomping ground of London I am staying with my girlfriend at her parent's place. This brings on the usual minefield of parental relations.
I'm sure everyone has had some memorably cringeworthy moments with, "the in-laws". Some of my best ones were getting drunk in a bar with one girlfriend and her folks. At one point her father leans over to me and proceeds to describe, loudly, the meaning of the song; specifically the bit about waking up next to a fat girl and wanting to chew your arm off to get away. He ended somewhat rhetoricaly, "you know what it's like!" How does one respond to that? To any other man you can simply grunt in assent, roll your eyes, drink and have a laugh. However in this case, you're sleeping with his daughter, the inner neanderthal is best kept under wraps (in mitigation this guy had three daughters, a wife and two female dogs; I think he wanted the male company!)
On another occasion, the one and only time I met a girlfriend's dad, she was in hospital and we met over visiting. Her mother and father were estranged and she was strongly on her mother's side. I lost severe brownie points because I got on with her dad like a house on fire. Apparently classic cars were not an appropriate topic of conversation.
Awkwardness is not confined to fathers however. One girl's mother came over one evening in slightly tense circumstances only to be very visibly disappointed we were drinking tea and eating chocolate rather than drinking beer and having sex.
I think I get on with my current girlfriend's parents really quite well. We have a lot in common and fairly similar outlooks on lives. This brings it's own complications.
When I was just the boyfriend, I had an easy role to fulfil. Essentially, smile nicely, make polite conversation and be sycophantic in the extreme. Now however, we are growing to know each other in our own rights. Mainly, this is a good thing. It shows we get on as people and will inevitably be beneficial to my relationship with my girlfriend. I have seen the strain poor relationships with the other-half's family can put on relationships. Trouble is, being too matey at this stage could be disastrous.
To put the last remark into context a bit; a big concern on my part is that her father and I share a very similar sense of humour... a bit smutty and silly. This is great for a bit of chat but I'm always wary of engaging too fully as a) I don't want to play the buffoon too much since I am going out with his daughter and I don't want him to think I'm an overgrown schoolboy who can't take anything seriously and b) her mother is a very serious person so too much larking about is ill advised until I can read both better. That said, I also don't want to appear a prigish killjoy. Like most things, I think time will help. And maybe a few ales (another interest I share with her father along with tweed and boats... I swear my girlfriend has an electra complex!)
Anyway, the ramble through my mind (such as it is) is now concluded. Over all, I am happy with how things are going, just wish there was a guide book.
JR
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