Pop Shield

As I approach the top floor studio today, I walk past a few people emerging from the newsreader’s booth. I instinctively flash a smile and say hello. Then I realise it’s actually Rusty Claypole who has just recorded a quick drop in for Top Cat prior to doing an interview with Dave Wrong. He’s less of a Victorian Scarecrow and more of a Californian hippy these days, but still very charming.  He stops dead in his tracks and looks straight at me with a quizzical face. ”HEY…I KNOW YOU!!?!” he says (which is exactly what he did last time he saw me under similar circumstances). ”Yes, hello Rusty! Nice to see you. I’m Pop Shield. I was one of your engineers when you had a show here on Nations Favourite. I was on The Fateful Show, in fact.” I remind him. “Ah yes, “The Fateful Show”, repeats Rusty. ”How ARE you?” he says.” ”Great!” I say. ”How are you?” “Good, thanks. GIVE ME A HUG!” he replies. So, I hug him. Luckily, it’s a Hollywood kind of hug, all aloof. If a bit awkward. I accidentally get some hair in my mouth. Thankfully Rusty now has clean Hollywood hair to match. I would not wish Rusty’s pre-Hollywood hairstyle in anyone’s mouth, even if I did not like them very much. Anyway, I digress. I move on from the Hollywood hug. “And what are you working on today?” he asks. ”Waylon Wine”, I say with a smile in my eyes. I remember that Rusty used to try and wind-up Waylon when they shared a studio by leaving chaos and silly notes and live goldfish in his wake. ”Ah yes, Waylon!” he replies ”Well nice to see you.” ”Nice to see you too, Rusty” I reply, wandering off, a little bemused by the exchange.