I think it's a very common thing, for kids to have an idol - someone they admire for whatever reason. For boys, it's usually a sports star, and mine was Jimmy Johnstone - arguably Celtic's greatest ever player, and I'm not backing anyone against him. He was one of the 'Lisbon Lions' who won the European Cup in 1967. That in itself makes him an idol - those men became gods in Scottish boys' eyes for achieving that remarkable feat.
My Naked Hero, Lewis Macleod, had a childhood idol as well. He was a Wimbledon champion in the making, so not surprisingly it was a tennis player - the best in his day - Scott Taylor.
In the book they meet with Lewis now a young man. Openly gay, he has been rejected by much of the tennis establishment, and heckled on the court the previous day, so what a thrill to find that he has found acceptance and support in the form of his American Idol.
I was never any good at football, so it was difficult to draw on a comparison. But I tried to think of Jimmy Johnstone when I wrote the scene of that first meeting. I tried to think what it would have been like when I was Lewis's age and insecure about my sexuality, to have someone like Jimmy Johnstone come along, slap me on the back and say it's all right, and by the way, do you fancy a pint?
Cheers Jimmy R.I.P.
Here's a snippet from Lewis's first encounter with his idol...
Still in a daze, Lewis stood to the side totally tongue-tied. None of it seemed real to him. He was the kid again, dumbstruck in the presence of his idol. He couldn’t comprehend how this had come about. Just to have been on court with Scott Taylor was a dream fulfilled, to have his acceptance was a massive boast to his battered ego – but to work him, that didn’t seem possible.
“We should go over to our court now,” said Jim. “I can see Mario waiting for us. Lewis, will you go on ahead and start knocking up with him? I want a word with Scott. We’ll be there in a minute.”
“Sure, Jim,” replied Lewis. Then as he was walking off he turned to Scott Taylor, unable to contain the beaming smile that spread across his face. “Thanks for yesterday... And thanks even more for today. I don’t understand why - but thanks anyway.”
My Naked Hero, Lewis Macleod, had a childhood idol as well. He was a Wimbledon champion in the making, so not surprisingly it was a tennis player - the best in his day - Scott Taylor.
In the book they meet with Lewis now a young man. Openly gay, he has been rejected by much of the tennis establishment, and heckled on the court the previous day, so what a thrill to find that he has found acceptance and support in the form of his American Idol.
I was never any good at football, so it was difficult to draw on a comparison. But I tried to think of Jimmy Johnstone when I wrote the scene of that first meeting. I tried to think what it would have been like when I was Lewis's age and insecure about my sexuality, to have someone like Jimmy Johnstone come along, slap me on the back and say it's all right, and by the way, do you fancy a pint?
Cheers Jimmy R.I.P.
Here's a snippet from Lewis's first encounter with his idol...
Still in a daze, Lewis stood to the side totally tongue-tied. None of it seemed real to him. He was the kid again, dumbstruck in the presence of his idol. He couldn’t comprehend how this had come about. Just to have been on court with Scott Taylor was a dream fulfilled, to have his acceptance was a massive boast to his battered ego – but to work him, that didn’t seem possible.
“We should go over to our court now,” said Jim. “I can see Mario waiting for us. Lewis, will you go on ahead and start knocking up with him? I want a word with Scott. We’ll be there in a minute.”
“Sure, Jim,” replied Lewis. Then as he was walking off he turned to Scott Taylor, unable to contain the beaming smile that spread across his face. “Thanks for yesterday... And thanks even more for today. I don’t understand why - but thanks anyway.”