where art collides philosoperontap

Bishop Grot is in N7. It’s somewhere you drive past many times without thinking much other than “there’s Bishop Grot” or “hmm I notice it’s now a Uni”. Although I’ve lived in Lincoln since January 7th 1984 I only went to Bishop Grot for the first time a couple of years ago. It was to the showing of a film at “The Venue”. I’ve forgotten what the film was but since that time I’ve been getting pseudo spam email from The Venue advertising what’s on.

It’s only pseudo spam. Most of what I get sent doesn’t interest me but it was such a nice venue that I haven’t got the heart to block them. Since that day I’ve been back four times. Twice to Lincoln Rugby Club dinners, once looking at a new office and once to a piano concert with internationally famous Hungarian pianist Ervin Nagy. Erv’s a pal of mine. Nagy is pronounced Naje. Erv is pronounced Erv, to me at least.

What amazes you about Bisho Grot is the size of the campus. It’s much bigger than you think when you drive past. The other surprise as how cheap the beer was at the student union. Quality. Got a glass of fizzy water for free. It’s much healthier for you than beer although obviously has to be drunk in moderation. You can have as much beer as you like.

I was a bit disappointed to find that J13 was a different bit of Tritton Road to the one I had been thinking of. Had it been L11 there were lots of things to talk about. I’ve even already written a poem about L11, or at least about the L11 retail units.

It’s January and everywhere is dark and wet and miserable.
The Lincoln slate sky covers a time of drabness day,
Flat blue-red-brick- beige-grey-dark in the paint-damp-run drizzle,
Orange branding tries vainly to B&Q brighten the desperate place,
Over the neon road, lights just make it though the gloom:
SCS, Pets at Home, Starbucks, Staples, Comet, PC World, Currys
Countrywide conformity reflected in dark and miserable grey.

Even K13 is more interesting than J13. I bought a trailer from K13. Used it loads of times for camping trips and other exciting family holidays. Still going strong after 10 years though I had to put air in the tyres this year for the first time – that’s after 10 years! AA man did it when he came to change a puncture on my wife’s car. I digress.

Parts of J13 are known as dead end street. This is because they are no through roads. I doubt the residents call it dead end street. They probably like the fact that they don’t get much traffic, except of course on Tritton Road itself which is a busy arterial thoroughfare and prone to high levels of traffic on a Saturday accompanied by the resultant congestion. I don’t know why people want to drive into town anyway. There’s a perfectly good Asda in North Hykeham or a Sainburys if you’re posh. What you can’t buy at those emporia is probably out of season.

I have a mate called Terry who lives around here. Can’t remember his address but I’d know the house if I saw it. Renovates old cars. And plays golf. Had some other friends who lived here during the property boom of the late eighties. The had moved up from dahn sarf and bought off plan. Rented somewhere whilst theirs was being built. By the time they moved in the value of the house had shot up but they had a fixed price. The builder kept trying to get them to cancel but no way hosay. Nick and Marian their names were. Not there anymore. Moved back darn sarf. It’s not so far to go to Hartsholme Park but that isn’t on the menu here so it will get no further mention. This square has plenty of water though not sure I’ve been to see any of it. I’ve probably missed out on one of the great wildfowl sites of Skellingthorpe Road. I’ll live with that. You can’t do every wildfowl site and wetland on the map. You’d need a spare pair of wellies. Innit.

I’ve been to Jerusalem. Twice. Jerusalem Israel. Never been to Jerusalem, Lincs, as far as I know. When is was in Jerusalem, Israel the streets were filled with soldiers, guns slung casually over their shoulders. I imagine guns can occasionally be seen in Jerusalem, Lincolnshire. Shotguns. Pheasant killers. Peasant thrillers. Killer diller. I feel as if a song would be appropriate here but I’ve never learnt the words to Jerusalem mainly because I’m Welsh. Good song though and I do like a good song. We Welsh like to sing. When my dad were a lad they would all troop off to choir practice at the chapel on a Tuesday night. It’s why everyone in Wales used to know the words to hymns, and the harmonies. Not anymore. The whole chapel thing is fading out and people no longer have the occasion to learn the words. Shame really. They could still do the hymn singing without the religious bits. It’s what back rooms of pubs with pianos are for. I once went on a works outing to the peak district. We went on some sort of circular walk and ended up in a village with three pubs. The first was decidedly dodgy, filled with locals who would eye us with that “he’s not from round here” sort of look. The second was a bit touristy so five of us wandered on and found hte third pub. We hit the jackpot. This was a real locals pub with an old girl banging awya on hte piano whilst the regulars played their instruments – maracas, triangles etc. The songs were all of an era – roll out the barrell, daisy daisy giv e me your answer do and so on. We stayed there for the rest of the night. It came to midnight and the party was still in full swing but one of our party suddenly remembered we had to get on the coach to go home. An hour ago! We swayed down the road and met the coach coming to look for us. Slept the whole way home. Great day out. I wonder if there is a pub in Jerusalem. I may never find out…

PS – just taken a look on the map and of course I’ve been through Jerusalem. It’s just a couple of farm buildings and whilst there is no pub (shame) the Stones in Skellingthorpe is only a shortish walk. Ciao amigos.