green 3 April 2008
Richard went off to Ukraine today and so we packed his bag last night which meant clearing out the detritus of the last trip somewhere. So, out went the socks and undies that should have been washed a while ago and all of the plastic room keys that never got left behind anywhere. I have been on the wrong end of those a few times – way up at the top of a hotel and the thing not working, having to schlep down to reception again for a new issue – once I was so fed up in an ancient Manchester Hotel that I rang them and asked them to come rescue me as I could not face the extra journey. I sometimes miss keys. They work. When I was on tour around Ireland in The Early Days there were actual door keys to the rooms of the hotels and it was gas to see lads at the hotel disco with their keys stuck out of the back pocket of their trousers advertising that they were residents and somehow ‘a better bet.’ Every time I go to the BBC I promise myself I’ll remember to give back the plastic thing they put your visitor pass into and I never do – lots of those hanging around the house too. So, the thing that impressed me most out of Richard’s bag was a nifty item from Helsinki – the Finns put us all to green shame – it was a balsa wood electronic swipe for his room there. simple, effective and a total environmental success – it can be done.
