where itbelonged. Pat shuffled away from him a bit and he removed his arm and looked glum for the rest of the meeting.
Bryn said, ‘Well, we’ve organised the food and the hot-air balloon rides, now I’m going to talk about the events in this arena Mr Fitch wants. I’ve scheduled things to happen so they don’t clash, and so we don’t get similar events following on after each other. First there’s the fancy-dress parade, then the tug of war between the two pubs – I’ve put that early so they can compete before they’ve all had too much to drink. I’m donating a barrel of beer for the winners, as you know.’
There was a general murmur of thanks for his generosity which he acknowledged with a nod of his head. ‘I understand that Sir Ronald,’ he nodded his head in the direction of Sheila, ‘will be starting them off. Best of three, I think. After that there’s the school display, then the Morris Dancing.’ He nodded enquiringly at Louise who agreed it was all in hand. ‘Then the police motorcycle display team have agreed to come on. Oh – and to finish, there’ll be the children’s races. Thought that would keep the kids and their parents there all afternoon. I think that about sums it up.’
‘Excellent! Well done!’ Jeremy complimented Bryn.
‘Absolutely, Bryn, that’s great! Thank you very much indeed. What a lot of hard work.’ Briskly consulting her list, Louise suggested they got on with the business in hand.
Bryn nodded and said, ‘By the way, I’ll leave all the children’s fancy-dress competition to you, Michael – classes, prize, age groups, et cetera?’
‘Of course.’
‘We’ll definitely have that as the first event in the arena then. Otherwise the costumes will be ruined if they have towait. We’ll do a grand procession round the Show, finishing in the arena. Could you sort some judges out, Michael?’
Briskly Louise pushed on through the agenda, and much to Barry’s delight it closed within another half an hour, leaving him plenty of time to take Pat for a drink.
‘Good night, everybody. See you on the twelfth of next month.’
‘Not the twelfth, Barry. It’s Friday the thirteenth!’
‘Oh yes, that’s right.’
While Barry was putting her bike in his van, he said, ‘I could have strangled that Sheila.’
‘Oh, don’t worry, she’s always like that. Oh Gawd, me bell’s dropped off. Did yer hear it? Just a minute while I look for it. Here it is – rusted away it has, I’ll have to get a new one.’
Barry put it in his pocket. ‘I’ll fix it for yer, Pat, leave it to me. Come on, hop in and we’ll drive round.’
They parked the van in the car park behind the pub and walked round to the saloon door. Barry held it open for Pat and she popped in under his arm. As she straightened up she saw, sitting at her favourite table, Sylvia and Willie and opposite them Jimmy, whom she hadn’t spoken to in a long while.
‘What will yer ’ave?’
Pat hesitated and decided she’d get more trendy than in the past. ‘I’ll have a gin and tonic, please. Shall we go and sit with Jimmy and them?’
Barry didn’t want to, but on the other hand he might be pushing things along too fast if he insisted they sat alone. Make too much of a point of his intentions in front of everyone.
‘Yes, fine, I’ll get the drinks.’
When Sylvia saw Pat coming across she slid further along the settle to make room for her.
Jimmy grinned at her. ‘Well, Pat, long time no see. Too posh are yer nowadays then?’
‘Enough of your cheek, Jimmy Glover. I’ve been far too busy getting straight as you well know. Just because I’m living in the Garden House doesn’t mean I’ve given up on me friends. Hello Sylvia, hello Willie.’
She plumped down on the settle making sure she wasn’t creasing her skirt.
‘Must say you’re looking smart, where’ve you been?’ Jimmy commented.
‘To the Show committee meeting in place of Jimbo, he’s got a shocking cold and Harriet
Bryn said, ‘Well, we’ve organised the food and the hot-air balloon rides, now I’m going to talk about the events in this arena Mr Fitch wants. I’ve scheduled things to happen so they don’t clash, and so we don’t get similar events following on after each other. First there’s the fancy-dress parade, then the tug of war between the two pubs – I’ve put that early so they can compete before they’ve all had too much to drink. I’m donating a barrel of beer for the winners, as you know.’
There was a general murmur of thanks for his generosity which he acknowledged with a nod of his head. ‘I understand that Sir Ronald,’ he nodded his head in the direction of Sheila, ‘will be starting them off. Best of three, I think. After that there’s the school display, then the Morris Dancing.’ He nodded enquiringly at Louise who agreed it was all in hand. ‘Then the police motorcycle display team have agreed to come on. Oh – and to finish, there’ll be the children’s races. Thought that would keep the kids and their parents there all afternoon. I think that about sums it up.’
‘Excellent! Well done!’ Jeremy complimented Bryn.
‘Absolutely, Bryn, that’s great! Thank you very much indeed. What a lot of hard work.’ Briskly consulting her list, Louise suggested they got on with the business in hand.
Bryn nodded and said, ‘By the way, I’ll leave all the children’s fancy-dress competition to you, Michael – classes, prize, age groups, et cetera?’
‘Of course.’
‘We’ll definitely have that as the first event in the arena then. Otherwise the costumes will be ruined if they have towait. We’ll do a grand procession round the Show, finishing in the arena. Could you sort some judges out, Michael?’
Briskly Louise pushed on through the agenda, and much to Barry’s delight it closed within another half an hour, leaving him plenty of time to take Pat for a drink.
‘Good night, everybody. See you on the twelfth of next month.’
‘Not the twelfth, Barry. It’s Friday the thirteenth!’
‘Oh yes, that’s right.’
While Barry was putting her bike in his van, he said, ‘I could have strangled that Sheila.’
‘Oh, don’t worry, she’s always like that. Oh Gawd, me bell’s dropped off. Did yer hear it? Just a minute while I look for it. Here it is – rusted away it has, I’ll have to get a new one.’
Barry put it in his pocket. ‘I’ll fix it for yer, Pat, leave it to me. Come on, hop in and we’ll drive round.’
They parked the van in the car park behind the pub and walked round to the saloon door. Barry held it open for Pat and she popped in under his arm. As she straightened up she saw, sitting at her favourite table, Sylvia and Willie and opposite them Jimmy, whom she hadn’t spoken to in a long while.
‘What will yer ’ave?’
Pat hesitated and decided she’d get more trendy than in the past. ‘I’ll have a gin and tonic, please. Shall we go and sit with Jimmy and them?’
Barry didn’t want to, but on the other hand he might be pushing things along too fast if he insisted they sat alone. Make too much of a point of his intentions in front of everyone.
‘Yes, fine, I’ll get the drinks.’
When Sylvia saw Pat coming across she slid further along the settle to make room for her.
Jimmy grinned at her. ‘Well, Pat, long time no see. Too posh are yer nowadays then?’
‘Enough of your cheek, Jimmy Glover. I’ve been far too busy getting straight as you well know. Just because I’m living in the Garden House doesn’t mean I’ve given up on me friends. Hello Sylvia, hello Willie.’
She plumped down on the settle making sure she wasn’t creasing her skirt.
‘Must say you’re looking smart, where’ve you been?’ Jimmy commented.
‘To the Show committee meeting in place of Jimbo, he’s got a shocking cold and Harriet
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