My 20's, The Decade That Made Me - Part 2

22 Years Old - 2004
When I was 22 I did my first stint abroad. I had gotten a job working in a restaurant in the Spanish Resort of La Manga Club. I'll never forget my leaving do in Widnes and as I left on that rainy Sunday afternoon, I left with a very heavy heart. I had made a lot of friends there and most are now Facebook Friends. I think that one of my biggest regrets is that I didn't stay in Widnes longer. I was there for 14 months and should really have stayed for a few years. I can't say that I left for a worse place though as La Manga was a great place. I can still remember how nervous I was about it all. I had left home over a year earlier but moving countries was a different kettle of fish. Pretty soon after arriving though I was settled and once again I made loads of friends. I had to play the male role but I had a good time. Summer was hard work in the restaurant but I played hard too.  I'd often get in as the sun rose but I was young and I don't regret any of it.

     Moving to Spain meant that I had to give up 'dressing' for a while. It was hard but the work kept my mind off it. In June my Granddad sadly passed away. I can still hear my mum telling me over the phone and it hit me really hard. I hit the drink a bit too much and actually flew back for the funeral. I flew home on the day before and flew back on the day after. This actually gave me the chance to retrieve some of my female clothes and take them back with me. That also meant that I could indulge in my dressing a bit although living in a shared, I had to be very careful.

     The original plan was to stay in Spain for the Summer. This changed though and I decided to stay on. I guess I'd gotten myself settled and I'd made a lot of friends. The winter was different to the Summer though. It was quieter and although this made work easier, it meant that there was nothing to do on your day off. It got colder so the pool and the beach was a no go. I began drinking more as that was literally all there was to do. The business picked up again on Christmas week but as soon as the New Year came and went, it was back to nothing.

     One day at the end of January 2005 something snapped and I walked out of my job. While everyone went out for staff tea, I packed up my knives and had it away on my toes. I ran up the dirt track behind the restaurant to a bar called Q Bar where I popped onto the internet and booked a flight home. Then I began drinking. The Head Chef found me and had a bit of a chat but my mind was made up, I needed to be back in England. Two weeks later that's exactly where I was. I must admit to feeling a tinge of sadness as the plane lifted off. I felt like I was perhaps leaving too soon as though I had unfinished business. What I didn't know at the time is that I'd be back again to tie up the loose ends.

     In the meantime I'd managed to secure an interview at a hotel in Bakewell. It was The Rutland Arms Hotel and had a job for a Chef De Partie with live-in. I'll never forget standing at the bus stop in Chesterfield, waiting to catch the bus to my interview. It was snowing and all I could think about was that in La Manga it'd be a nice warm day.

     I got the job at The Rutland Arms (after a morning trial) and in mid February I moved into the staff accommodation. It felt really odd, that first night. I'd been allocated a small box room and it just didn't feel right. Although I'd only call that box room home for a short time, The Rutland Arms Hotel in Bakewell would be home for 3 years and would play an important part in my life.

23 Years Old - 2005
     I settled into The Rutland Arms pretty quickly. The Head Chef was a big Irish man called Bryan and he loved his radio 2. He also had a deep rooted Irish heritage as his menus showed. Every dish seemed to be served with a form of mash potato! The 2nd Chef was a short South African called Jimmy. I was Chef De Partie alongside a guy called Stuart Pearce and another young guy called Mark. We were a pretty close team and I fitted in really well.

     During those early years I enjoyed a drink and I always searched out a place I could call my local. It was important for me to find a place I could belong and I found that place in The Red Lion. It was just over the road from the hotel so was ideal staggering distance. The owner had arrived in Bakewell a few weeks before me and was called Gary Roberts. He was a lovely man, always up for a sly after hours drink. He was also pretty crazy but that was all part of his charm.

     During that 1st year in Bakewell, Brian left as did Stuart as did Jimmy and Mark. In fact 7 months after I started, I was the longest serving Chef! More chefs were brought in though in the form of Matt (Chef de Partie) Josef (Breakfast Chef), Howard (Sous Chef) and Brian (Head Chef). That was possibly one of the best teams I worked with in terms of the laughs we had. We also worked damn hard.

     Outside of work I tended to frequent The Red Lion and even got to the stage where I could ask for my usual (Corrie style). I became friends with Gary, the landlord, and even built up a bit of social circle. Of course the year couldn't go completely tragedy free as the joy of my younger sister giving birth was quickly replaced by despair as little Ruby died.

     It hit me really hard and on the day of the funeral I headed back to Bakewell. I spent the evening getting drunk and I ended up in a pretty bad way. I'd only seen the baby once and I couldn't understand how something like that could happen. It just seemed so cruel. Towards the end of my 23rd year, I began organizing a Sponsored Walk in aid of a cot death charity. I had the help of a man called John who I got to know. That man though is pure proof that you don't really know anybody.