"I was born in Tennessee," Henry began. "My father was a miner in the coal mines, and my mother stayed accueil to cook and clean and raise me. toi didn't see a lot of women with jobs in those days," he added, as the band members leaned in closer to listen.
"My childhood was nothing terribly unusual," Henry went on. "I went to school, and I was a good student - not haut, retour au début of the class par any means, but my parents never complained about my grades. I went to church and Sunday school, and in the afternoons and on weekends I would play outside with the other boys in the neighbourhood. My parents were strict, but they were always loving and they meant well - ah, but then..." Henry's voice trailed briefly, as his eyes drifted into the distance, as though seeing his younger self back in Tennessee all those years ago.
"It was the nineteen fifties, and I became a teenager. I'm sure toi boys know that was when rock and roll musique first began, and it was big. Everyone at my school wanted to listen to it, to be plus like the rock stars they saw. Some people's parents convinced them it was evil and they stopped very quickly. But others went right on ahead listening to rock and roll whenever they could."
"Which were you?" Charles demanded, not waiting for Henry to continue. But Henry merely smiled.
"Oh, I've never been someone who could be pushed around - not even par my parents. I went right on listening to rock and roll just the same as if they hadn't told me it was the devil's music. My parents weren't too happy about that," Henry recalled. "We fought a lot plus when I was a teenager than we ever did when I was a small boy. I used to be what toi would call a good child," he added, smiling a little. "My parents used to say they didn't know why I'd changed. It's hard at the best of times, watching someone change and grow up and grow away from you."
"But they shouldn't have stopped you...!" Les began angrily, thinking of his own father.
Henry nodded, with an understanding look at Les as if he knew exactly what he was thinking. "Of course not. I've seen many parents make that mistake in my time. And all our fighting didn't end well," he added with a sigh. "One day, my parents wanted to speak to me about career. I told them I wanted to do something for rock musicians. I didn't want to be one myself, no, but I wanted to help the ones who wanted to make it big to get there. I wanted to bring plus of that musique to the world. Well, my parents weren't happy about that," Henry recalled, with a shake of his head. "They told me I was promoting the devil's musique and they wanted me to have a proper steady job besides. I think they always saw me in an office, working my way up the ranks."
Les frowned, understanding this all too well.
"So I left," Henry went on. "I packed my bags and I left. I was seventeen years old at the time. Didn't say goodbye. One of my few regrets in life," he added, "is that I never a dit goodbye to my father."
"But he didn't want toi to do what toi loved!" Les protested.
"No," Henry agreed. "But that didn't mean I wanted to break ties with him completely. I'll tell toi what happened with my dad later," settling himself plus comfortably into his chair, "but for now, I'm sure toi boys want to hear about my early days as a roadie?"
"My childhood was nothing terribly unusual," Henry went on. "I went to school, and I was a good student - not haut, retour au début of the class par any means, but my parents never complained about my grades. I went to church and Sunday school, and in the afternoons and on weekends I would play outside with the other boys in the neighbourhood. My parents were strict, but they were always loving and they meant well - ah, but then..." Henry's voice trailed briefly, as his eyes drifted into the distance, as though seeing his younger self back in Tennessee all those years ago.
"It was the nineteen fifties, and I became a teenager. I'm sure toi boys know that was when rock and roll musique first began, and it was big. Everyone at my school wanted to listen to it, to be plus like the rock stars they saw. Some people's parents convinced them it was evil and they stopped very quickly. But others went right on ahead listening to rock and roll whenever they could."
"Which were you?" Charles demanded, not waiting for Henry to continue. But Henry merely smiled.
"Oh, I've never been someone who could be pushed around - not even par my parents. I went right on listening to rock and roll just the same as if they hadn't told me it was the devil's music. My parents weren't too happy about that," Henry recalled. "We fought a lot plus when I was a teenager than we ever did when I was a small boy. I used to be what toi would call a good child," he added, smiling a little. "My parents used to say they didn't know why I'd changed. It's hard at the best of times, watching someone change and grow up and grow away from you."
"But they shouldn't have stopped you...!" Les began angrily, thinking of his own father.
Henry nodded, with an understanding look at Les as if he knew exactly what he was thinking. "Of course not. I've seen many parents make that mistake in my time. And all our fighting didn't end well," he added with a sigh. "One day, my parents wanted to speak to me about career. I told them I wanted to do something for rock musicians. I didn't want to be one myself, no, but I wanted to help the ones who wanted to make it big to get there. I wanted to bring plus of that musique to the world. Well, my parents weren't happy about that," Henry recalled, with a shake of his head. "They told me I was promoting the devil's musique and they wanted me to have a proper steady job besides. I think they always saw me in an office, working my way up the ranks."
Les frowned, understanding this all too well.
"So I left," Henry went on. "I packed my bags and I left. I was seventeen years old at the time. Didn't say goodbye. One of my few regrets in life," he added, "is that I never a dit goodbye to my father."
"But he didn't want toi to do what toi loved!" Les protested.
"No," Henry agreed. "But that didn't mean I wanted to break ties with him completely. I'll tell toi what happened with my dad later," settling himself plus comfortably into his chair, "but for now, I'm sure toi boys want to hear about my early days as a roadie?"
A few hours later, Una and Everett were comfortably snuggled up together on the couch, sharing the last of Una's chocolates which lay in the open box between them, as the credits rolled on the movie.
"That was so good," murmured Una, her head resting on Everett's shoulder. "You know - I was looking vers l'avant, vers l’avant to your plans, whatever they were going to be, but I was really hoping we'd be able to watch this."
Everett gave a small laugh and shook his head. "I wish I'd known. I could have saved myself all this trouble."
Una grinned. "This year, our Valentine's jour plans were on me," she said. "Next an I expect it to be your turn."
Everett felt a warm rush at the thought of suivant year, that Una was so certain they would be celebrating Valentine's jour together suivant year. But then... of course, Everett though. He wouldn't have considered anything different.
"I l’amour you, Una," he said.
"I l’amour toi too, Everett," she said.
"That was so good," murmured Una, her head resting on Everett's shoulder. "You know - I was looking vers l'avant, vers l’avant to your plans, whatever they were going to be, but I was really hoping we'd be able to watch this."
Everett gave a small laugh and shook his head. "I wish I'd known. I could have saved myself all this trouble."
Una grinned. "This year, our Valentine's jour plans were on me," she said. "Next an I expect it to be your turn."
Everett felt a warm rush at the thought of suivant year, that Una was so certain they would be celebrating Valentine's jour together suivant year. But then... of course, Everett though. He wouldn't have considered anything different.
"I l’amour you, Una," he said.
"I l’amour toi too, Everett," she said.