We were teenagers at the time and all we cared about were boys and music. Shannon had bought a walkman and we brought lots of tapes with us and spent hours listening to music.
One afternoon, while we were staying with my two elderly aunts - Auntie Mary and Auntie Marjorie - we relaxed in the downstairs sitting room and listened to Cinderella - one of the quintessential hair metal bands of the 1980's. Auntie Marjorie, who must have been in her eighties at the time, came into the room and asked what we were listening to. I was a bit reluctant to give her the headphones but she insisted. So, I passed them over and turned the music right down, hoping that her deafness would work in my favour. But no.
"I can't hear it," she said.
"That's ok Auntie Marjorie. It's probably not really your type of music."
"Turn it up. I can't hear it!" she replied. I turned it up slightly.
"Where's the volume?" she yelled.
I showed her the volume, and was horrified to see her turn the dial right up to the maximum. I could easily hear lead singer Tom Kiefer's whine through the headphones, and was waiting for poor old Auntie Marjorie to turn it off in disgust. But to my surprise she started tapping her foot and humming along with the music.
Several minutes passed and the song was over.
"Ooh, I liked that!" exclaimed Auntie Marjorie. She reached across me for the cassette case and glanced at the picture of the band on the front. "And are these the lovely ladies that sing this song?"
Auntie Marjorie was the best.
