Homer Sykes: Britain in the 1980s. Text by Charles Jennings. (2/5)
Posted: September 20, 2011 Filed under: Class, Pubs | Tags: Charles Jennings, Homer Sykes, People like Us, sloane rangers, The Queen Mother 1 Comment
Sloane Rangers, Kensington, 1983. © Homer Sykes/Photoshelter.
Society Wedding by Charles Jennings:
‘The Boltons, yes. And I mean, the Queen Mother’s actually been there, to dinner, apparently.’
‘Really?‘
‘But apparently she didn’t sign the visitors’ book.’
‘Well, she wouldn’t would she?’
‘So of course, James’ – the boyfriend – ‘had to volunteer first, so they gave him a box of watercolours and a brush. And he spent ages trying to get the watercolours to go on the brush, but he’d forgotten that he needed some water first.’
‘He’s so sweet, James, so funny.’
‘Thing is, Emma had James’ Jack Russell as a bridesmaid –‘
‘As in a dog?’
‘So sweet!’
‘Emma phoned, the honeymoon was fab, wants to meet up –‘
‘Istanbul? I know that city, actually. Went with Simon and Gemma and Charlie last summer. Charlie’s so funny, he stood outside that big mosque and – ’
‘Why couldn’t she make it tonight?’
‘Dinner with James’ grandmother. She’s ninety and lives in a tiny flat on Trafalgar Square.’
‘I didn’t know anyone lived there!’
‘So sweet!’
… for The London Column. © Charles Jennings 2011.
The London Column 
Dialogue well done is more damning than a thousand descriptions or polemics. This text is both brilliant and chilling: “…a tiny flat on Trafalgar Square…”
As for the picture, déja vu on a major scale, I have a photo of an old school friend in a restaurant looking exactly like that.