On Regent Street In 1976 Poem by Keith Shorrocks Johnson

In those days, things were a lot quieter
And out for a lunchtime walk
Down Regent Street to Piccadilly Circus
I was hailed by a boy on a large old bicycle.

It took me some time to recognize Douglas -
He was wearing a heavy tan-coloured coat
And dismounted somewhat clumsily
From what I took to be his Gran's sit-up-and-beg bike.

Here was a lovely and warm young fellow
Asking about my life - remembering
That when we had known each other before
I had been stepfather to a little girl.

Doubtless, he had been summoned
To an imposing Georgian house in Mayfair
To provide comfort and entertainment
To its insouciant and privileged occupier.

He had been the boyfriend of my gay cousin
Who was from the careless, hard and sharp side -
Family who were unscrupulous and cutting
But could also be witty and very entertaining.

Like Oscar Wilde, my cousin David believed
‘It is absurd to divide people into good and bad
People are either charming or tedious':
But both reserved the right to draw the distinction.

I mentioned my cousin to Douglas.
He hadn't known David was now in San Francisco
Having taken his Bentley out there to impress
‘I really liked him' he said, with a sad, shy grin.

Young Douglas never seemed tedious to me
Just a nice well-presented poor boy from the East End
And neither of us pretended to be charming:
Just half-strangers well-met at the heart of things.