Playing the silly game
After a frenzy of packing (Calliope persistently climbing in the case) we finally bade farewell to John, and Sonia who is herself off on a five week holiday (and of course earlier to Betty) and Lorraine and I cabbed it to Brighton Station. We caught the Ashford train, where we sat outside in blue skies till Pat collected us. I felt tired, but enjoyed chatting with Pat and Maureen and then scarfing some delicious fish and chips bought from The Fish Stop, where Lorraine used to go as a child. At nine o’clock, Pat and I were collected by his mates Jim and Pete and driven off to the Blacksmith’s Arms for their weekly dart game The usual Friday night crowd of darts players was much depleted by summer holidays, so it was lucky I was there to make up the numbers. After a coin toss, I was partnered with Jim, who has known Pat for donkey’s years and his children were close with Lorraine and her brothers. Pat told me that Jim had suffered from ‘Dartitis’ which meant he was unable t...