Jim becomes a father figure to Jazzer
Jazzer has a pretty low opinion of his birth father, but there's another father figure who looms large in his life - Ambridge’s favourite curmudgeon, Professor Jim Lloyd.
When Jazzer was kicked out of his rented flat by Matt Crawford in 2012, his only option seemed to be to kip at homeless shelter, The Elms. But Christine Barford intervened and offered him her spare room. Unfortunately, after just one night, having exhausted both her goodwill and plate of oat crunchies, Christine confided in close friend Jim Lloyd that she was regretting her decision. Jim came to her aid offering Jazzer temporary shelter with him at Greenacres but took small comfort when Jazzer promised it was only until his “mate’s neighbour’s cousin, Mackie got back”, whose spare room was “a probable definite”. As the days passed Jim started to get the uncomfortable feeling that Mackie had signed up as second mate on the ‘Marie Celeste.’
No loud music 鈥� unless it鈥檚 Mahler!
Jim laid down some house rules – no smoking, no folk staying over and no loud music – unless it was Mahler or Bruckner. Jazzer dead-panned back that he was “always giving Mahler some Hammer.” In return for abiding by these bungalow rules, Jazzer asked just one favour in return; could he borrow Jim’s book on Greek myths? He would have a good wash before touching it.
Jazzer has a genuine thirst to find out how the world works
Jazzer has a real spark
Christine couldn’t understand why Jim had taken on Jazzer, but Jim explained that in some ways he found Jazzer admirable. Jazzer hadn’t had an easy childhood; his father had disappeared, his mother always had a different boyfriend and his brother kept leading him into trouble. So there wasn’t anyone around to ask questions or learn from. What was admirable was that where such a childhood might’ve crushed most peoples’ spirit, Jazzer managed to retain a real spark. He had a genuine thirst to find out how the world worked.
Shula also questioned Jim’s choice of bungalow-mate – Brenda Tucker had moaned that when Jazzer stayed with them, it was like having a feral cat in the house. But again Jim defended Jazzer saying he rather enjoyed his company. And that’s more than he could say for some people in the village!
Jim’s more interesting than you think – if you can steer him away from Roman poetry
Jazzer, in his own way was equally complimentary about Jim, remarking that Jim was much more interesting than you’d think - although you’d have to steer him off crosswords and Roman poetry pretty quickly if you wanted to stay awake! Jazzer also started to look out for Jim – from waiting up until he got home, to (shock, horror!) tidying the kitchen and telling Jim what a great teacher he was; he’d learnt loads since living with him, especially about the Greek and Roman worlds. Jazzer had even managed to squeeze some Greek mythology into his quiz nights at The Bull! And although Jazzer hadn’t been keen when Jim insisted on eating meals at the table, he came to appreciate Jim’s wisdom; it meant they could talk. And they’ve been talking most evenings ever since.
When Jazzer stopped going out until the early hours, Jim questioned why this was. Jazzer explained that it was because the places he'd lived at before weren't that great. But now he’d got a “decent gaff, there was no need to escape”. As he headed off for an early night, he would often make sure that Jim didn’t burn the midnight oil calling out to him “don’t work too late Prof!”.
Friendship is as close as a tap on the door
Until Jazzer’s recent move to live with Tracy and her family at No.6 The Green, Jim and Jazzer had rubbed along comfortably at Greenacres, with only a brief hiatus when they were forced to move out after the Ambridge flood. And despite Jim’s almost literal cold feet when the bungalow became habitable again, Jim admitted it wasn’t just a roof over his head that he’d been missing since his enforced absence - it was a place where “friendship is a close as a tap on the door”. Jazzer had missed their routines, and the fact that he didn’t get “wranged” for leaving the toilet seat up”. Life hadn’t been the same since they’d stopped sharing a house.
Jim is basically the kindest man in the world
Jazzer’s respect for Jim led him to dump unsuitable girlfriend Jade when she was critical of Jim. He told her that Jim was “basically the kindest man in the world!”. And that Jim was like family to him. Jim admitted he felt the same way about Jazzer.
Over the years their mutual respect has grown - Jazzer was there to help Jim when historic sexual abuser Harold Jayston reappeared in his life. Jazzer’s anger and then care and understanding about the impact of this on Jim, helped Jim come to terms with his past. And Jim was instrumental in encouraging Jazzer to follow his heart to the woman he was falling in love with – Tracy Horrobin.
Jim’s been more of a father than Jazzer’s real dad ever was
Their relationship has developed over the years so that Jazzer now feels that Jim has been more of father than his real dad ever was. He could’ve done with someone putting him on the straight and narrow during his childhood – but his dad wasn’t around. Over recent years, Jim has been. And in the words of Jazzer when he was explaining their relationship to Blake, “Jim’s taught me so much, I’d do anything for him. He never talked down to me. He just makes me want to be better. If I ever do grow up, he’s who I’d want to be.”
