Drive – The Cars

I’ve mentioned before that I was at Live Aid on that glorious sunny day almost twenty years ago. Up until that day, I’d always preferred the Cars ‘Best Friend’s Girl’ to ‘Drive’ but I will never, ever forget the chill down my spine when the organisers showed that short film and set it to the song Drive.

I defy anyone who was there – or for that matter, anyone seeing the footage now even, not to be moved by the terrible scenes of human babies, with distended stomachs and flies all over their tiny faces trying to suckle milk from their mothers’ dry breasts. The sight of children of five or six with tiny, matchstick arms and legs but huge bellies and eyes was heartrending. What really struck me was the total lack of hope on their faces.

It was one of the most emotional few minutes that our now defunct Wembley Stadium has ever seen. No Cup Final or England International could ever bring the crowd to that level of anguish. The silence from the crowd was extraordinary and I doubt there was a soul there without the tracks of tears down their hot cheeks. I cried and so did all of my companions of that day.

What I learned by watching that film was that it is NEVER right to be complacent about things like that. They don’t go away of their own accord. Ever since, I have made sure that other people get to share my good fortune, for that’s what it is. I have a life that I suspect many would envy and I certainly have never wanted for anything. I grumble and moan about travelling but at least I have food in my belly each day and a soft warm bed to sleep in at night. So, after I came home, I set up charitable contributions through my salary to a number of charities and to this day they all benefit from a chunk of my money each month. Over twenty years that must amount to a sizeable sum for the ones I have supported from the beginning.

So, Drive (or at least the makers of that film) made me what I hope is a better person.

Oh and yes, I did intend the cliché wife swap analogy – ‘who’s gonna drive you home tonight’…….but don’t go getting any ideas!!!!!!

I can't believe it is now two years ago since my 10th anniversary of joining TNS and last year, my blue eyed boy was cleaning the Lurker!