Boarding the Barge
To Acton with an overnight bag. A typical end-of-week agency day, with staff frazzled and the client demanding the manifestation of unicorns.When this abated, off to Paddington (which was bearable) where I had arranged to meet Pat. Waited in a station bar, near the one-armed-bandit machines and watched a man like a grubby bee settling on the colourful machines, and pumping in fistfuls of pound coins.
Met up with Pat, and boarded an Oxford train, we had to stand for much of the journey, which was delayed on the track. A good laugh though, and enjoyed the tins of beer I'd sensibly bought. Arrived in Oxford and shared a pizza in a bus shelter before catching a taxi to a canal-side pub, The Boat Inn, in Thrupp. Here we found Michel. Matt, Steve (Matt's brother in law), Dion and Murray who I'd met before, and Nigel and Simon who I hadn't. All Gentlemen already well refreshed by the time we arrived.
Nine strong we boarded the 72 foot barge moored outside the pub, and had an on-board party. An enormously enjoyable night of boisterous fun, including an outbreak of jovial arm wrestling, with Michel successfully taking on all comers.
Eventually I cast myself onto my sleeping ledge fore in the barge, (far more generous space than the others had wedged into bunks) and fell drunkenly asleep. Pat at some point did the same across the gangway from me. Michel and Dion staying up till five in the morning, until, at last, the barge under a twinkling night sky, was resonant with the snores of men.
Met up with Pat, and boarded an Oxford train, we had to stand for much of the journey, which was delayed on the track. A good laugh though, and enjoyed the tins of beer I'd sensibly bought. Arrived in Oxford and shared a pizza in a bus shelter before catching a taxi to a canal-side pub, The Boat Inn, in Thrupp. Here we found Michel. Matt, Steve (Matt's brother in law), Dion and Murray who I'd met before, and Nigel and Simon who I hadn't. All Gentlemen already well refreshed by the time we arrived.
Nine strong we boarded the 72 foot barge moored outside the pub, and had an on-board party. An enormously enjoyable night of boisterous fun, including an outbreak of jovial arm wrestling, with Michel successfully taking on all comers.
Eventually I cast myself onto my sleeping ledge fore in the barge, (far more generous space than the others had wedged into bunks) and fell drunkenly asleep. Pat at some point did the same across the gangway from me. Michel and Dion staying up till five in the morning, until, at last, the barge under a twinkling night sky, was resonant with the snores of men.
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