I’d identified him since I used to be 15 or 16. He moved to London about ten years after me. He lived South, I lived North and when assembly up in Soho pubs we fought about which was finest. He would possibly as effectively nonetheless have lived in Scotland, the quantity of moaning he did about getting trains and buses to and from the place we met.
“If I get the 9.17 to London Bridge that’ll get me in time for the following prepare, then I’ll catch the bus and stroll and by 11.15…”
As teenagers, we shared a bond in a bunch of 5 for some time: Jim, Scot, Gillespie (Allan), Gillian and me. The boys have been a few year-and-a-half older, and after Scot handed his driving check we had use of a automotive. Like many teenage reminiscences, these of squashing into the tiny yellow Golf, entrance seats crushed ahead to get three within the again, really feel like a mini caper film, with Scot rushing maniacally round Airdrie and generally into Glasgow, all of us annoying the hell out of one another, then laughing. That was the extent of the social abilities we had. Reminiscences embrace:
Berating Jim for purchasing a brand new leather-based biker’s jacket that had a belt (complete no-no). We pushed him to breaking level, the place he reduce off the belt together with his mum’s kitchen scissors, leaving two little belt stubs on the again, making the state of affairs worse for himself. Any time he wore it, we collapsed into hysterics.
Gillian and I taking Scot’s £1 notice to enter McDonald’s with orders for chips, however deciding it will be funnier to spend his cash on a toasted tea cake for him. I keep in mind Jim and Gillespie sliding down the seat, crying with laughter as Gillian handed over the bag and Scot regarded inside and raged, “What the hell is that this? An outdated people’s tea cake? The place’s ma chips? The place’s ma change?”
Going to Gillespie’s home and recognizing his three-years youthful brother’s very unique-looking denims. His mum had sewn pub bar towels everywhere in the legs and one on the bum in cool design. Naturally, I “borrowed” the denims and wore them round city. At some point, my mum despatched me to the Put up Workplace with a parcel. Sadly for me, Gillespie’s mum was three or 4 behind me within the queue, “Are these our Gordon’s denims you’re sporting? I sewed all these patches on myself!” I used to be mortified. I gave them again the following day.
Within the days of Gold Mix sophistication, we determined to throw a “ceremonial dinner”. With everybody else out, Gillian and I dressed up in my mum’s fanciest frocks and her excessive heels and we cooked frozen rooster Kievs with peas and corn. We knew how ridiculous we regarded, and our anticipation of the lads’ arrival was sufficient to make us grasp onto one another and bend to the ground in nervous laughter. We set the desk, and our visitors arrived to be greeted by Gillian on the door sporting my mum’s plastic apron over considered one of her clothes. On the entrance of the apron was a giant smiling orange and the caption: “I’m juicy! Squeeze me!”“Oh my God, youse are idiots” they laughed, shoving us out the way in which.We continued our charade of taking part in the components of grown ladies, providing espresso as they regressed into being extra brattish.“Whit ye dain? Whit’s this dinner? We’re no consuming that. Get misplaced, ya Fly!”(The Fly was my nickname, as they rightly discovered me small and annoying, buzzing of their faces. The Cramps’ Human Fly was usually sung in my face. I took it, as Gillian took “Carrot”. Rightly or wrongly, we gave them hell they usually gave us horrible nicknames.)
We had so many extra little adventures throughout that interval (particularly at Davie Lomas’s home events). We pretended to be enemies, however thrived as a bunch.
At the moment, teenagers from Airdrie’s rival St Margaret’s Excessive and Airdrie Academy colleges have been mixing and weaving a vibrant patchwork of relationships and friendships. A lot of it was slagging one another off and laughing in native pubs when not strictly of age however carrying convincing (under no circumstances convincing) pretend IDs that bouncers waved on by. I suppose now you’d name it banter. It was that heightened forex and curiosity that saved us nimble and sharp, prepared to fireplace darts.
When Gillian turned 18, she acquired a job within the pub we beloved, the Staging Put up. That was when Jim confessed to me his love for her, and requested how he ought to ask her out. He was totally ineffective at speaking to women. After a lot prompting, he approached the bar.
“Give me a pint…Ya Carrot!” he blurted out.
Gillian laughed at his stupidity and informed him the place to go.
“Jim, you’re an fool,” I stated, “You messed that up.”
“I do know however….that is all of your fault, ya silly Fly.”
I’ve a specific reminiscence of a day journey to Strathclyde Park for a picnic (“cans of lager”). We jumped onto a rowing boat and, out on the water, took images within the sunshine. Jim took a stunning considered one of Gillian and me in our Smiths T-shirts.
Gillian died in 2018, aged solely 47. She took a chunk of me together with her, which I gave gladly, as a result of I didn’t need her to go with out me. Now Jim has gone too, aged solely 55, and I don’t perceive (do different individuals suppose this?) why I’m right here they usually’re not, as a result of, simply… it’s not truthful, is it?
Anyway. In later London years, Gillian (after all) and Jim remained my separate buddies, and we had one million adventures out and in of different pockets of correct grown-up life that I’ll most likely write about sooner or later.
Heading to Jim’s funeral at Honor Oak Crematorium on Monday, I believed perhaps he was proper concerning the “deep South” of London. It truly is a pleasant place to dwell, or no less than to go to for the day, with its lovely homes and well-kept gardens stuffed with bloom. However I struggled with the crumbling of my previous, as I considered Gillian and Jim within the sunshine. Edging nearer to my vacation spot, I felt my physique stiffen and thoughts harden as I ready to tackle the disappointment and acceptance of one other goodbye I didn’t need to say.
We took our seats and the coffin was introduced in. The entrance pallbearer was Gillespie, Jim resting on his shoulder. The service was beautiful, led by Jim’s ex-girlfriend, Irene, and his sister, Morag, who wrote a wonderful and transferring eulogy.
Afterwards, on the wake within the Waverley Arms, I used to be so glad to speak to Gillespie, who I hadn’t seen for perhaps 35 years. We had tales to relive, one thing to attach and smile about throughout this sore day. We may very well be children once more. Funeral wakes can carry little lights of reduction like that, glad interludes, nearly like Jim despatched them to assist us cope. (“For godsake don’t sit there greetin!”)
Because the years handed between us over the Thames, Jim stopped responding to my texts and, as I came upon later, withdrew from not simply me, however all of his outdated mates. I all the time felt protecting of him, as if we was half son or brother. He carried a boyhood vulnerability and insecurity into manhood. All the women beloved his attractiveness and candy character, and though he by no means married, he did ultimately discover somebody particular in Irene.
My pal Jim was a mix of shy but daring, with bones of mischief and the kind of authentic humour that will catch you unawares, like a schoolboy kick on the again of the knee. All he wished to do was social gathering, sing, drink, have a great time. He was fantastic to be round, his huge smile all the time igniting sparkly eyes, revealing the sort particular person he was inside. And that’s how I’ll keep in mind him.
RIP Jim Body (14th April 1970 – twenty fifth April 2025). You actually did look cool in that biker’s jacket. I want you had allow us to enable you.
Playlist: Songs for Jim.
With particular because of Gerard.
Julie Hamill writes novels, seems on Occasions Radio and does tons extra. Observe her on Bluesky.
