Mercy

Tats leaps into the car beside me. “God, sorry I’m late! It’s been manic here this morning, honestly.”

We hug with some difficulty across the handbrake; she is one of my closest friends – I seem to have known her forever – and instantly we are talking, and laughing; stories of family, work – all the normal girly stuff. As we park outside the café she shoves a card and gift into my hand. “That’s late too,” she grimaces “But you know how it is…”

I do. The card says ‘Being your friend gives me something to smile about’. The gift is the Duffy CD I have been coveting but have so far not found time to download. Tats didn’t know I wanted it; she just guessed I’d like it, because she does. In the same way that we bought exactly the same dinner service from Marks & Spencer without even knowing what the other had done.

I play the CD all the way home. And all the way to the client I am seeing this evening. I press the repeat button on ‘Mercy’ quite a few times.

I love you
But I gotta to stay true
My morals have got me on my knees
I’m begging you please, stop playing games
I don’t know what this is
But you got me good
Just like you knew you would
I don’t know what you do
But you do it well
I’m under your spell
You got me begging you for mercy
Why don’t you release me?

*****

“Get your interview OK?”
I nod.
“Anything juicy?”
“No, not really.” And we both know that if there had been, I probably wouldn’t have been able to use it.
“Listen, I’ve got to got straight out – the car sponsor – they’re going to put our leaflets in with their mailings – I have to take them over and speak to their PR people.”
“Cool. I’m just going to back up my audio then chill on the way home – my friend bought me the Duffy CD. Have you heard it?”

We are half way to our feet and he stops. “Not the whole album, but I love the single. When I was on holiday I looped it all the time.”
“What, ‘Mercy’?”
He nods.
“I’ll see if I can rip the CD for you.”
And after we hug goodbye we look at each other for a moment, our faces very close.

Of course, I go way over the top. I don’t only copy Duffy, I also make a compilation CD of similar stuff I think he might like. I think long and hard before including Sophie B Hawkins’ ‘Damn, I wish I was your lover’, but mentally balance it out by finishing with Texas’ ‘I don’t want a lover’. I wonder what he’ll make of it. Nobody, but nobody, shares my eclectic taste in music.