500 Miles

‘Well I could walk 500 miles and I could walk 500 more.’ Steve sang along with the song, it was impossible not too.

‘I like this song,’ he said to Johnny who was also singing along. Johnny nodded his agreement.

‘To fall down at your door’ they both finished the song with perfect timing, if not perfect pitch. 

‘Good band the Proclaimers,’ said Steve, really underrated I think. Catchy tunes, nice lyrics, good harmonies. Yeah, good band.’

Johnny rattled a finger around in his ear, did Steve really just say he liked the Proclaimers? It wasn't that Johnny disagreed, it was just that Johnny couldn't believe his mate was being positive about something. 

‘Also, the weird thing about the Proclaimers is that we laughed at them when they came out, do you remember?’ Steve continued. ‘I mean they just looked so spoddy, didn’t they? With those big, rimmed glasses, the slicked back hair and carrot jeans, but look.' Steve pointed at the young barman who was dressed in carrot jeans, was wearing big, rimmed glasses and had slicked back hair. 'They were ahead of their time, they've gone from being clean cut mummy's boys to being trendsetting, fashionistas.’

Johnny had to admit his friend had a point, the 'Proclaimer' look was very much in, but he was still shocked that Steve was being so upbeat, surely there was a big BUT coming soon. But there wasn’t Steve continued in this alien, positive vein.

‘and then there’s the line, how does it go?’ Steve half mumbled and half hummed a line from the song until he got to the point. ‘when the money comes in for the work I do I’ll pass almost every penny on to you.’ Steve sat back and smiled as if just saying the words made the point. It didn’t.

‘And?’ Johnny said.

‘Well, isn’t it obvious, most people would say every penny but the Proclaimers, it’s almost every penny they just hold a little back for themselves for fags and booze.  It’s lovely.’  Johnny couldn't handle this positivity, what was going on? He decided to go to the bar hoping the break in conversation would bring the real Steve back.