The Ned Wood Archive

I came upon a child of God
He was walking along the road

Brandi Carlile, Pyramid Stage, June 2025

Joe

He’d spent the afternoon on his own.  George was never going to see Panic Shack, just not his scene, so they’d split up and Joe had done his own thing.  He’d stuck around at Avalon after Trampolene and had browsed the stalls.  He’d checked out the place he’d got his skirt earlier partly to convince himself he’d got the best one, but to be honest there were quite a few with decent patterns and colours.  He went to the second hand places on the track along from Avalon towards Greenpeace.  You could get some really neat stuff there, like old gear or exotic stuff.  He always wanted a Nehru jacket, so he was always on the look out for one, but he never did see any.  Maybe he could get himself another shirt, mind. To be honest, though, he’s conscious that he’s trying to fill a hole. Something’s missing.

He’d gone back into Avalon to see this sort of folk duo play.  Stick in the Wheel.  Mostly just this lass singing and this other guy playing the guitar.   The lass is proudly singing in a strong cockney accent or sometimes more like rapping.  Proper serious when she was singing then light hearted between the songs.  Once or twice playing an accordion. The guitarist gets a great drone from his guitar or that one with the metal disc under the strings.  Dobro? Is that what they call it?  The guitar is missing one of the middle strings.  Joe will have to find out what difference that makes.  It’s captivating stuff, this lot.  Some of it is folky and some of it is more experimental.  Sometimes they get a bass player and a drummer on and get louder and screamier.  And sometimes they have just this drummer chap come on and slap a beat box that he’s sitting on.  

To be honest, though, it’s not always uplifting stuff. It’s distracted him while it’s been on, but, when it’s over, Joe gets a bit more introspective and starts to ask himself what he should be doing that evening.  Like should he be searching all over the site for Ellie or should he meet up with Tom and the rest of the guys so they can go see Suede like they all said they would. He needs something to stop this desultory drifting.

He finds that he’s been ambling down the track to Carhenge not really taking much in.  He goes over to those wooden seats covered with fake flowers and stuff next to the Deaf Zone and the Glastonbury merch store.  That’s when he sees this mini drama.  This little scene playing out slowly in front of him.  Like it plays out in slow motion.  It’s like he’s watching this TV show where he knows what’s going to happen cos the plot’s too obvious, but he doesn’t react or try to influence events.  Probably cos he’s sat there too busy contemplating his own navel and his conscious brain doesn’t register what his subconscious has already witnessed and processed.

There’s this kid running down the hill, from his left, her hand holding a balloon on a string.  A bright red balloon.  Joe couldn’t really tell you how old she is, he’s not an expert in these things, but he thinks maybe three or four or five.  She’s wearing a bright red dress and has a sun hat on and is focussed totally on her balloon.  She’s probably been up at the Kidz Field and is now following her Mom or her Dad somewhere.  

The awareness that there is no Mom or Dad gradually seeps into Joe’s brain.  By the time it has fully formed he can see that she’s realised it too and has stopped frozen still, just in front of him, and has burst into tears.  Almost simultaneously, an old geezer and an old dear approach the kid from different directions.  They are streets ahead of Joe.  They reach her at the same time, exchange a word or two, then the old dear bends down to talk to the kid.  She asks the kid where her Mom is.  Joe can hear every word.  Mind, quite a few would be able to hear the kid’s response, which, fairly predictably, is to inform everyone at the top of her voice: the old dear, the old geezer, Joe, and everyone else in earshot, that SHE WANTS HER MOMMY.

Joe’s already guessed that the old dears aren’t the kid’s parents or grandparents or any other relation.  They just noticed that she was lost and decided to step in and help.  The kid has a mobile number written in black marker on her forearm.  The old dear tries to comfort the kid – talks to her about her bright red dress and her even brighter red balloon.  Asks her her name.  Turns out it’s Ellie. Meanwhile, the old the bloke calls the number on her arm.  One of the numbers is smudged so he has to try a couple of times to see whether it’s a 3 or a 5 or an 8, but he gets through to the girl’s Mom soon enough.  And that’s when the tragedy turns to farce.  Joe listens to one half of the conversation.  He can’t avoid doing so – the bloke’s standing on the wooden seat right next to him.

“Hi there.  We’ve found Ellie.  She’s safe.  She’s fine.  She’s at the Meeting Point….  It’s next to the Tony Benn Tower….  The big blue tower….  Near Carhenge….  Where all the cars stranding on end are….  OK, where are you? ….  OK, tell me what you can see….  Can you see any cars? Classic cars? OK, can you see any tall tents?  OK, then any small tents or market stalls or anything… Can you tell me what those stalls are selling?  Just a red double decker in front of you?  OK, can you turn round slowly and stop when the sun is to your left.  Is the bus behind you?  Good.  Keep walking away from the bus.  Through the gap in the hedge.  Now look up.  Can you see a sort of blue water tower with people painted on it going round in a circle?  … No?  Can you see any cars? Classic cars? Standing on end? No. OK, keep going.  Are you through the gap?  Can you see the blue tower yet?  Like a water tower.  Going round.  Blue.  With figures on it.  Excellent.  OK, we’re near there.  I’m standing on a bench waving my hand.  Can you see me?  OK, just walk towards the blue tower, you’ll see me soon.”         

And then, what seems like forever later, the girl spots her Mom coming towards them a few yards away.  She shouts “Mommy” and runs into her mother’s arms.

“Oh Ellie, I thought I’d lost you, forever” says the mom.