Rude Awakening
Mrs Denise Macnaughton
It was that terrifying moment when you wake up, and for a split second, you dont know where you are. I wasnt in my bed. I found myself waking up on a hideous red leather sofa. As I jerked my head up, my eyes sprung open. The unfamiliar room had powder blue walls, red Venetian blinds and a silver Christmas Tree. The Christmas Tree triggered the hazy memory of the night before, when this room was crowded with partygoers and a stereo, blasting out the Human Leagues Christmas Number One, Dont You Want Me Baby. As I rubbed my aching head, I saw Lisa asleep on a sofa, opposite me. Wrapped up in her trademark leopard skin coat, she looked like an angel, not the party girl who had been shaking her booty on the dance floor at Heaven the night before. I tried to focus my eyes on a wall clock. It was 5.30 a.m.! In sheer shock and terror, I jumped up off the sofa. It was Christmas Eve. Oh my God! Oh my God! I had three hours to get to Heathrow. My flight was at 9 oclock. Mam and dad would kill me if I didnt get home for Christmas. In a frantic panic I tried to waken Lisa. Lisa, Lisa for Gods sake wake up! Its five thirty! Wot! Wot is it? She drawled in a sleepy, East End accent.
Lisa, get up Im going to miss my flight. Please. We need to get back to the flat. Get up! I pleaded. Lisa curled up into a tighter ball. No way, you go, go wiffout me, I fink Im going to be sick. Lisa, I cant leave you here. Where the hell are we, anyway? Souff Ken. Some geezers flat in Souff Ken. Remember?
Vague memories flitted through my mind of stumbling into a taxi outside the gay nightclub, Heaven with our flatmate Jonathan and some other bloke. However, my current predicament was more pressing. South Kensington! Oh no, Ill never make it. Ill never get back to the East End and then to Heathrow in time. Lisa, help me, please.
Lisa pulled her coat up and said Get a cab on the street, itll be quicker, go now, hurry up. I cant believe Ive done this, I said. Mam and dad are going to kill me. Ill never make it. Oh God what a mess. Lisa tried to sit up. Just go straight to the airport, she suggested. I cant, I need my flight ticket and get the Christmas presents for home. Anyway, I cant go like this. Lisa looked at me standing there in my Lurex mini dress, ripped tights and my Grannys fur coat. She knew I was right. I continued I cant believe I let you and Jonathan talk me in to going out last night. I knew it was a mistake. Anyway, wheres Jonathan? Got lucky wiv wots is name, I assume. said Lisa, nodding towards the room next door.
Miraculously, my handbag still had all its contents and I checked that I had enough money for my cab fare. I left Lisa on the sofa and rushed out into the dark street. It had iced over during the night and my feet were freezing in my party sandals. I couldnt believe my luck when, within seconds, a black cab came along with its yellow light shining. I jumped in. Please get me to Bethnal Green as fast as you can. I need to catch a flight from Heathrow at nine. The London cabbie laughed. Blimey, you must be joking, luv. Itll be rush hour when we are going back across town. Its the last flight to Inverness and I have to be on it. Ive got to get home for Christmas.
Ill do me best, luv, Ill do me best. The cab driver seemed to take pleasure in his mission and sped along the Embankment and up through the City, getting me to my flat in Bethnal Green at 7.00 a.m. During the journey, I decided that I couldnt waste time changing my clothes, so when I arrived at the flat, I just grabbed my packed suitcase and ticket and ran back out to the waiting cab.
We arrived at Heathrows terminal one at 8.25 a.m. Check-in was packed with people like me, people scrambling to get home for Christmas. The check-in clerk at the desk had silver tinsel tied around her head when she announced Sorry, the flight is closed. I started to cry, big, uncontrollable sobs. I couldnt believe that I had got this far and had fallen at the last hurdle. I dont really remember how the next bit all happened, but a Scottish man in a uniform saw the state I was in and said Its ok, Ill take her to the gate in the buggy. Two minutes later he reappeared in one of those buggies for transporting disabled people through the airport. He threw my suitcase onto the back and tilted his head to indicate get in. As we drove through the airport, I couldnt stop crying and through gulps and sobs, kept repeating thank you, thank you so much. Rummaging for a hankie, I found Lisas Christmas present to me - a pair of knock-off, designer sunglasses. I put these on to hide my swollen face.
The aeroplane was fully boarded when we arrived at the departure gate. My seat was in the very last row. Looking back now, I cant believe that I had the nerve to walk the full length of the aeroplane, wearing a gold Lurex mini dress, ripped tights and a pair of very large sunglasses. God only knows what the other passengers must have thought.
I have always loved the approach into Dalcross Airport, but none quite as much as that beautiful Christmas Eve morning in 1981. Even now, when I board an aeroplane I think of that day and laugh, a day Ill never forget.
