I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing.

Some may remember the 1970s anthem based on the Coke advert (originally Id like to buy the world a coke), where fresh faced youngsters gather on a hilltop in multi-racial togetherness. This was a hit in 1973?? For the New Seekers (pub quiz boy is never far from the surface) – and includes the line (at least as I remember it) of ‘I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony, ...grow apple trees and honey bees and snow white turtle doves…’ ……. Short pause as the sick bucket is located…….

Putting aside the merits of ad based, optimistic, post Vietnam, sugarpop lyrics it does seem that there is a significant chance that we will indeed after seeking live in Harmony – this being the name of the house we are hoping to secure for the remainder of our tour of duty in Bangalore. I am told that until recently the particular neighbourhood was habituated only by movie starts and test cricketers – so we will come a something of a shock to the system – Chester –le – Street has many virtues but no-one would ever call it glamorous. The idealistic feel of the house is somewhat coloured by the ongoing negotiations around pest control, water pumps and back up generators to cover the frequent black outs – but then these were also a feature of the early 70s so perhaps it is really quite appropriate.

If it all comes off it will be a small wrench (8mm hex head) to move on from our south Bangalore temporary accommodation and its environs. Abandoned last night by Mrs Reiver for a business ‘Drinks and Nibbles’ do which surely hovered in the well named ‘corridor of uncertainty’ between A Proper Drink and A Proper Feed – I set out for a local hostelry ‘Legends of Rock’. I experienced a small but precious period of calm for about 5 minutes as the beer and bio-rythyms magically aligned.

• There was Calamari with chilli sauce,
• Billy Joel singing about ‘the microphone smells like a beer’
• VVS Laxman and Ghandir pasting the Australian bowling attack all over the park on the TV
• Gently flashing lights (partially courtesy of ‘power shedding’)
• A warm evening breeze wafting over the roof terrace and mixing with the raucous sounds of the street below
• And the place was effectively untroubled by any other patrons

Such micro-glimpses of a relaxed – I don’t do crowds - future here have given me some hope and and slightly hestitant stomach this morning.