Andy Childs
Active Member
I was the recipient of an amazing act of generosity the other night.
Fishing for tench on Hooks Marsh I packed up at around 10pm, barrowed my gear back to the truck, loaded it and drove to the gates to unlock the combination padlock that is usually fastened to one of the gates only to discover it was secured to the central pillar!
Oh dear I said to myself wonder how someone could have made that mistake……..Locked in I reached for my mobile [usually utterly reliable] to find it malfunctioning. John Cleese in the Fawlty Towers car sketch came into my head. In the light of my head torch I saw a sign attached to the gates’ IN AN EMERGANCY RING THIS NUMBER’ Fantasti ,no mobile and locked in.. I walked around only to find I was completely alone on the complex. I then walked to the Police pit car park –again empty.
In the distance down the lane, the light of an entry phone system glowed in the dark …… Apologizing for the lateness of the hour I related my dilemma and to my surprise a man his wife and son appeared with a mobile phone.. Ok I thought, might have a bit of a wait but the emergency people will get me out, After a few attempts [I’m a patient person] I got through to be told that ‘they had no one at this hour available to help’ But this is an emergency number and I’m locked in. I pleaded. Still no one she replied. What constitutes an emergency where you do respond I asked. She declined to answer.Is there anything else we can help you with she enquired?This was going nowhere and a glance at my watch told me it was 11.26. Head Bailiff I thought, rang him and it went straight to answer phone.[In bed asleep the lightweight] The helpful man sensing my disappointment offered to drive me back to my car, unload my gear onto their car and store it for the night. I thanked him for his generosity and I stood in the drive whist he backed out a new Lexus 4 x 4. I must admit feeling a little self conscious climbing onto the cream leather with walnut trim but these were desperate times… Back at the car park I loaded the valuables into the Lesus and we made the short journey back to the Ponderosa. By this time Neil and I were on first name terms and as we pulled up outside his sumptuous house he uttered those unforgettable words ‘TAKE MY CAR AND BRING IT BACK TOMORROW’ In all honesty I was surprised but quickly got over that and accepted his offer. As I drove home [carefully] with the smell of leather, walnut and halibut pellets I thought to myself there are still some staggeringly generous kind people out there.
Thanks to Neil his wife and his son for their help and generosity.
Fishing for tench on Hooks Marsh I packed up at around 10pm, barrowed my gear back to the truck, loaded it and drove to the gates to unlock the combination padlock that is usually fastened to one of the gates only to discover it was secured to the central pillar!
Oh dear I said to myself wonder how someone could have made that mistake……..Locked in I reached for my mobile [usually utterly reliable] to find it malfunctioning. John Cleese in the Fawlty Towers car sketch came into my head. In the light of my head torch I saw a sign attached to the gates’ IN AN EMERGANCY RING THIS NUMBER’ Fantasti ,no mobile and locked in.. I walked around only to find I was completely alone on the complex. I then walked to the Police pit car park –again empty.
In the distance down the lane, the light of an entry phone system glowed in the dark …… Apologizing for the lateness of the hour I related my dilemma and to my surprise a man his wife and son appeared with a mobile phone.. Ok I thought, might have a bit of a wait but the emergency people will get me out, After a few attempts [I’m a patient person] I got through to be told that ‘they had no one at this hour available to help’ But this is an emergency number and I’m locked in. I pleaded. Still no one she replied. What constitutes an emergency where you do respond I asked. She declined to answer.Is there anything else we can help you with she enquired?This was going nowhere and a glance at my watch told me it was 11.26. Head Bailiff I thought, rang him and it went straight to answer phone.[In bed asleep the lightweight] The helpful man sensing my disappointment offered to drive me back to my car, unload my gear onto their car and store it for the night. I thanked him for his generosity and I stood in the drive whist he backed out a new Lexus 4 x 4. I must admit feeling a little self conscious climbing onto the cream leather with walnut trim but these were desperate times… Back at the car park I loaded the valuables into the Lesus and we made the short journey back to the Ponderosa. By this time Neil and I were on first name terms and as we pulled up outside his sumptuous house he uttered those unforgettable words ‘TAKE MY CAR AND BRING IT BACK TOMORROW’ In all honesty I was surprised but quickly got over that and accepted his offer. As I drove home [carefully] with the smell of leather, walnut and halibut pellets I thought to myself there are still some staggeringly generous kind people out there.
Thanks to Neil his wife and his son for their help and generosity.