When I was in my early 20s I met Spike Milligan. For him it was a nothing
type of experience, for me it was intriguing. I was working in a famous (it was
then, not now) hotel. The kind of place where celebs would travel too for a
weekend in the sticks. It was said that Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor
went there in the 60s, or so. Very possible.
I was working as the porter, taking bags to rooms - pretty much the lowest paid job in the place,
but I took all the tips. Some days these could double my day's pay. I would
come home and empty my pockets of loose change and the occasional note. I
remember getting £50 from someone once - it's a lot of money now but back in
1989 it was a small fortune.
One day Spike Milligan turned up at reception looking ashen faced. I was
called by the receptionist, as usual. I knew who he was, but my mind didn't
really react as I had no particular loyalty to the man. I knew he was a funny
man, but he was from a different era - I was more into Monthy Python and the
Young Ones. I took Spike's bags up to his room and showed him the mini bar, the
light switches and the bathroom - all of which he took in quite seriously. I
turned to leave when he said: "I would prefer it if just you could keep an
eye on things." I didn't know what to say, but I think he meant he didn't
want to see anyone else from the hotel during his stay. I later found he
suffered from depression and when it got really bad he would leave, on his own,
and hole up somewhere to get over it.
For the next few days I brought him meals to his room, fixed his radiator
and generally dropped things off that he needed. We never spoke more than few
words to each other - and nothing personal. It worked really well, I have not
forgotten it. It has remained with me, really, because of the terrific
normality of it all.