Joe's Esso Blue Light

When me and the Missus settle down to the night's telly on the dark winters' evenings (we only watch DVDS of old telly programmes these days, like Selwyn Froggitt and Crossroads - which me Missus loves), we 'ave a reminder of my heyday as the famous Esso Blue dealer to make sure we have enough light to find our cuppas and Hobnobs. It's an old advertising light we used to 'ave in the shop window. I mentioned it before. It features me telling passers-by: "ESSO BLUE PARAFFIN ON SALE HERE".

It's dead nostalgic. It's made of plastic and it's lit by a single light bulb. In the old days, we used to 'ave some 'ooks above the shop window, and we 'ung the sign on one of them, facing outwards, on a bit of string. The bit of string's still attached to it. Those were the days!

The sign with the bulb lit up.

In the old days, the sign used to get quite 'ot, with the 'eat from the bulb. But we've got one o' them modern LED bulbs in there now and it's fine.

They're a real marvel, these modern bulbs, aren't they?

My Missus sometimes gets a bit critical. "You look like somethin' out of a cartoon on that sign," she sez.

My Auntie Doreen used to say: "There's some big great conks (meanin' noses) in this family. Fortunately, mine's nice and dainty. I were lucky. You weren't our Joe."

I don't care.

After all, Barry Manilow 'ad a big 'ooter, and it didn't stop 'im. The ladies used to go mad at 'is concerts.

They were good days. Kiddies used to shout "BOOM BOOM BOOM - ESSO BLUE!" after me in the street, and I used to feel grand seein' my physog round about on paraffin cans and advertisin' 'oardings.

I was a bit of a celebrity, but without all the money that goes with it.

JOE x