I once got to meet Van Morrison, who is one of my favourite singer-songwriters, and I was so star-struck by the experience that I made a complete mess of my first words to him because I said: “So you are Van Morrison then?” He answered: “Yeah!” We were standing at the edge of a marquee tent on a very wet midsummer day. The conversation didn’t improve, and everything I said was met with a “Yeah,” from Van. Then my 11-year-old son Isaac, asked me: “Dad, do you see this rope?” He signalled to a guy rope for the tent. “Yeah,” I answered, realising I was now sounding like Van the Man. “Well, can you put you face by it?” my son went on. “Of course, I replied, doing s. At which point, Isaac twanged the rope and a shower of water went all over me. My son cackled with laughter, as I grabbed his hand, muttered something, and beat a hasty retreat into the rain!