One week has passed but today was different, it meant a return to a familiar place, SW6.
With the Premiership parade scheduled to start at 13:00 hours it was great to see the streets in and around SW6 filling up so early. Indeed, the journey down from Bedfordshire resembled something like a routine Premiership fixture except the number of children journeying into the capital far exceeded the normal levels.
Arriving on familiar ground it was great to meet up with the cfcuk crew who, incidentally, were setting a record for 2005-2006 with the fourteenth issue of this season fresh on the streets. With three hours to the parade, my youngest daughter was to soon be whisked off for a treat.
Thanks to cfcuk Dave, young Charlie was taken behind the cordoned off area and up to the two buses that were to be used for the parade. Bereft of a camera, a young policewoman called Kathy came to her aid and took a couple of pictures of my offspring on the bus, However, things were about to get better as Joe Cole appeared on the scene and promptly started a conversation with my youngest.
However, when Dave suggested that he?d be driving the bus, Joe responded with a curt,
?Well I won?t be getting on it then!?
Upon returning to the stall she was still aghast at what had happened and I just knew from that moment that things probably couldn?t get any better. With the streets packed with Chelsea supporters the buses were soon weaving their way through the crowd to a tumultuous reception and before you knew it, what we?d waited for was all over.
However, the crowds refused to dissipate and the atmosphere remained as buoyant as ever. Sadly, with time running out and a daughter almost asleep on her feet, it was time to say our goodbyes as we headed for home. Another season completed, ages to wait for the next to start but I know someone who can?t wait to get to school tomorrow and tell her mates who she met.
Once again, thanks to cfcuk Dave, PC Kathy and to Joe himself.
More tomorrow.