DARTS/AD LIBS - The Boy from New York City
OLD PA'S WEDNESDAY CLUB
A TWO DARTER
This is another story in my series of 'Interesting flights' I have made. I have taken many flights over the past 40 years or so. Most have been forgettable but a few stick in the memory.
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| A Welsh Legend |
DARTS - The Boy From New York City (1978)
I was visiting Inverness from London Heathrow it was a Saturday night in the late seventies about 17:00 hours and we were tearing down the runway in the pouring rain. Suddenly at almost the point of no return the breaks screeched and the Trident Aircraft swung from side to side and eventually came to a halt. There was a stunned silence. It happened so fast everybody was in complete shock. Boy that was scary.
The Captain had noticed something and decided it would be safer to get it checked. We were all taken back to the terminal, large whiskeys and large brandies all round was the order of the day.
The flight was cancelled and the passengers were booked for first thing the next morning. They all were going to be put up in a local hotel for the night. I did not bother as I lived not far away.
I noticed a figure whom I seemed to recognise who appeared to be in an agitated state. I moved closer and recognised the former Darts World Champion Leighton Rees. It appeared he was giving a exhibition in Inverness at the Station Hotel later that evening and of course now would not make it.
Old Pa to the rescue, I told him I would contact my brother in law who was the main man at Moray Firth Radio and get him to make an announcement that Mr Rees could not make it. It the meantime Leighton would phone the organisers.
I had a couple of pints with Leighton as he reminisced some of his big victories. One thing I did think was odd was that his trousers were really short, probably about 3 inches above the shoes line. Maybe it was a Welsh fashion statement. But what do I know?
The Captain had noticed something and decided it would be safer to get it checked. We were all taken back to the terminal, large whiskeys and large brandies all round was the order of the day.
The flight was cancelled and the passengers were booked for first thing the next morning. They all were going to be put up in a local hotel for the night. I did not bother as I lived not far away.
I noticed a figure whom I seemed to recognise who appeared to be in an agitated state. I moved closer and recognised the former Darts World Champion Leighton Rees. It appeared he was giving a exhibition in Inverness at the Station Hotel later that evening and of course now would not make it.
Old Pa to the rescue, I told him I would contact my brother in law who was the main man at Moray Firth Radio and get him to make an announcement that Mr Rees could not make it. It the meantime Leighton would phone the organisers.
I had a couple of pints with Leighton as he reminisced some of his big victories. One thing I did think was odd was that his trousers were really short, probably about 3 inches above the shoes line. Maybe it was a Welsh fashion statement. But what do I know?
AD LIBS - The Boy From New York City (1965) (The original)
Comments
A (double) top tale Old Pa, that aborted take-off sounds a bit hairy though.
I cannot hear this song without thinking of the wrassler Jimmy Valiant.
I love this post. Ha