A Day Of Two Halves
JUNE 14TH 2018 is a day I will never forget.
From Buckingham Palace, talking music with the future King, to a mosque in the shadow of Grenfell Tower, interviewing a man who had lost the will to live after the death of his father, it brought tears to my eyes.
It had been announced in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List, that I would be receiving an MBE.
It set off a chain of events that have had a profound effect on me and my family.
In truth I had always wondered what I would do if offered one. I have never been comfortable with the word Empire and with the Debacle that is ‘Windrush’. It drove me to investigate what it meant and how someone like me could live with himself if he accepted it.
It took me to Ancestry.co.uk, who told me I am 91% African and now my holiday destinations are about to change. My wife and mum were much more pragmatic. “It means you are a somebody”, “It is fantastic for you kids”, “It will help you raise more money for charity”.
I accepted the honour and saw a pride in my family’s eyes, heard my mum boasting to her friends and have been mercilessly teased by mates.
The Palace is really something, so many people working there and so many guns. Loads of amazing looking paintings on the wall, huge high ceilings and fab toilets.
It was great meeting other people who were honoured and laughing about how underwhelmed my children were, one even falling asleep. Whilst waiting to receive the honour from Prince William, I was struck by the pomp and ceremony that comes with thousands of years of tradition.
I will not tell you the details of my conversation with the Prince, save to mention he talked about banging tunes played by Idris Elba at his brother’s wedding reception.
Almost immediately after the euphoria of receiving the MBE, my mind turned to Grenfell Tower, which made the family’s celebratory lunch very interesting indeed.
I had never been to a mosque before so that probably added to the stress. Not specifically because it was a mosque but because it is a house of worship and my language can get a bit fruity. All the women in the team had their heads covered and shoes were definitely off.
It was all going well until I interviewed a man whose father died in the tragedy which took 72 lives and altered the way Londoners look at tower blocks.
Sometimes we talk about numbers and not the people, dreams and aspirations. When you look into the eyes of a relative who has lost so much, you start to appreciate what you have a little more. This modern world with all its bright lights sometimes makes us think of what we don’t have. June 14th 2018 made me realise how lucky I am and I think I will put that day in my diary as ‘reality check day’.
