01 September 2013

JOHN LEE AND FURRY WALTER


Sounds like a song, "John Lee and Furry Walter, they were the best of friends ..."

I have the good luck to live way up high on Gouvia Butte, so when I feel like playing the good guys loud - which I do, often - ain't no pesky white trash gonna call the po-leece on me for disturbin' the peace, know what I mean?

I say 'loud' but what I mean is at a decent volume. Reminds me of a hard-drinking robber baron pal of Dad's back in the good old bad days of Hong Kong. 

He'd say "The only Chinese that come into my house wear a white coat and serve drinks.

Once in the Hong Kong Club, he asked for a scotch and when the barkeep asked, "Large?" he bellowed, "Is there any other? There's a scotch - or there's a dirty glass."

Man after my own heart. Good chap: When I went out there with Steph to actually work rather than as the son of my father, we were meeting a family friend and sat quiet and cowed in this bastion of respectability. Stephanie got thirsty so I went up to ask if I could order a drink as a non-member. Some whippersnapper challenged me and, on finding I wasnt a member, told me that we shouldnt even be in there, "Guests wait for members downstairs."

As we gathered our things to obey, Major Harrison spotted me:

"Christopher! What on earth are you doing here?" I explained, also that we were obeying Club rules and moving downstairs.

"Why? Who? Where? 'You, sir, [to whippersnapper] who the fuck are you? [The Major was well into his umpteenth pink gin and raring for a fight, as usual] No, I mean who the fuck are you? Don't you know who this is? Ronnie Holmes' boy?  Chris, you're not telling me youre not a member, well you are now. Boy! Bring me the membership book ... Gerry! You know Chris Holmes, Ronnie's boy? Tells me he's not a member, never heard such nonsense, put that right with no further ado ... put your mark there, old boy, and let's hear no more of it. And you, sir, you havent answered my question, who are you, you jumped up little shit? Bring me the Complaints Book, I want your name and membership number and employer, bloody hell, we let anyone in these days!"

The rest was history but Steph was shaking at this intro to our new home. 

To recap, this is one of my favourite Hooker clips, he's so quiet and companionable. It sounds like they duet but they don't; Furry's bit comes at 16' 32, also good. 

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