My mom took me to see him once when I was a kid. We went down to the recording studio. I asked her to put me in my best trousers. We weren`r allowed in. I was saying to the bloke on the door, “You don`t understand. He`s my dad. He`s asked to see me.” In the end, their manager came down, and he took us into a side room, and he was having a go at mom, saying, “If this is about money, you have to go through lawyers, not pull a stunt like this.” At some point, I realized he hadn`t invited us. It was all mom. Rokeby did come down, though. Probably heard the shouting. I had snot all over my face `cause I`d been crying. I`m... wiping it off. I didn`t want to look like a whiny kid. I didn`t want to ruin it. Rokeby and mom were shouting at each other, and eventually... he did look at me. And he said, “This was a fucking accident.” I thought he meant the situation. Even after we left, I thought he was gonna find me and say, “Sorry about that. Having a bad day. Didn`t mean it.” I mean... I was wearing my best trousers. And that`s why I`ve never worn trousers again.
‘Thank you,’ said Robin, as startled as she was gratified.
‘Can we agree, though — please? That in the future, we talk these things through?’
‘If I’d asked you — ’
‘Yeah, I might’ve said no, and I’d’ve been wrong, and I’ll bear that in mind next time, OK? But as you keep reminding me, we’re partners, so I’d be grateful —’
‘All right,’ said Robin. ‘Yes. We’ll discuss it. I’m sorry I didn’t.’