“...Although firmly based within the framework of the British electric blues tradition -The Bluesbreakers, Cream, The Experience, et al- his distinctive playing style showed an eclecticism which drew upon many different musical styles: the blues - as in "Since I"ve Been Loving You'; skiffle - as in "Hats Off (To Roy Harper)"; folk music - as in "Tangerine"; and Eastern scales - as in "Kashmir". He was - and still is - quite simply, a multi-talented musician, composer, producer - as well as a phenomenal guitarist who can confidently play an acoustic folk guitar in the middle of a hard rock live set...”
Loydell paused and thought about the essay.
It was a lucidly-written piece, with plenty of research in evidence, but its major weak point was that it didn't refer enough to the person it was about. The subject's name was missing from the essay in a number of quite important places. Admittedly, it did mention it in the title and - once - at the very start of the essay, but after that it was always "he", "him", or "his". Also, the writer, Chris Charles, hadn't included the group names either, simply writing "his first group" and "his second group". Not good enough. Research was about showing you'd assimilated the factual information and that you could disseminate it clearly and informatively. Chris's approach was to assume the reader would know the names of Jimmy Page's first and second group. Not everyone did. If Loydell hadn't been reasonably knowledgeable about Page's career, he wouldn't have known the groups Chris was referring to. He wrote NAMES! in large block capitals across the bottom of page one, then beneath it added: Add the name of the subject at the beginning of each paragraph and group names where necessary. This will then help this essay achieve an A grade. Do the same in all essays from now on!
If that's not incentive, then I don't know what is, Loydell reflected, before continuing to read the essay.
It was at this point that Miss Arbogast had her stroke.
It wasn't dramatic at all. One minute she was driving the bus north towards the Mount Squires Recording Studio, the next, she wasn't. There was no screeching of tires, no veering off the road, no flipping over onto one side, no crashing into anything - nothing untoward at all. The only way that Loydell had known something was wrong was the strange keening noise that suddenly came out of Miss Arbogast's mouth.
He got up and stood next to her, suddenly very concerned. He saw her flickering eyelids and knew instantly that it was serious. He sat down next to her, pushing her over in the seat, and took the wheel. Using his left foot, Loydell edged Miss Arbogast's foot off the accelerator and kept his own on it, decreasing speed slowly, so as not to alarm the students. He stopped the bus by the side of the road, got up and opened the doors.
“Okay, everyone, listen up! Two minutes to stretch your legs, then we're back on the road. Get a move on.”
The students surged off the bus. Some stayed on.
Loydell lifted Miss Arbogast out of the driver's seat and stretched her out on the double seat behind it. Two of the students, Amy Ridpath and Paul Molloy, goggled at him, waiting for him to explain. Ignoring them, he picked up Miss Arbogast's mobile phone and dialled the school number. After two rings, Jo, the school receptionist, answered.
“Ballard High Sch-”
“Jo! It's Roger. I'm halfway between the school and the recording studio and Miss Arbogast has had a heart attack or a stroke. She's still alive, but it looks grim. Do I come back, or go on to the studio?”
“Hang on,” Jo said. There was a short pause - she was clearly conferring with someone in the background. She came back on quickly. “Roger! Go on to the recording studio. We'll get a flying medic to meet you on the way.”
“Okay,” Loydell answered. “I'm on my way now.”
He switched the phone off and stood in the bus doorway.
“Okay everyone, we've got to move it! Back on the bus - Fast!”
The students made their way onto the bus and back into their seats. Once everyone was seated, Loydell quickly explained to the curious students what had happened. He then picked two of them to sit near to Miss Arbogast and asked them to keep an eye on her until the medic arrived. Then he got behind the wheel of the bus, started the engine and set off at a furious pace. He knew that by breaking the speed limit he was putting the students at risk, but not doing so put Miss Arbogast at risk. Besides, the road was empty - and even if he got pulled, the police wouldn't prosecute - they'd make sure he got an escort and that Miss Arbogast got medical help. So he pressed his foot to the floor and the bus raced towards Mount Squires.
