retiredmartin

November 2023. Waterbeach.

Evenings in Waterbeach revolve around tea at 5pm and then The Chase. In fairness, tea is often from one of the village’s award-winning takeaways, and The Chase is the best TV quiz show since Deal Or No Deal, which was a game of great strategy skill under Edmonds.

Typically I get more questions right than the contestants but less than The Chaser (look it up yourself), but then I did beat a Weakest Link finalist to a first prize of two pints of Fosters* at a Mark Warner talent night in Sardinia so I have form. And I used to be able to tell you the peak position of THAT Jocelyn Brown single you’ve forgot.

But pints of Bass old age had taken its toll on the brain cells and I wasn’t keen to do the Thursday Sun quizz, but Mrs RM ignores my wishes and volunteered my services to friends Mike and Janet’s team, the Man City of pub quizzers.

I arrived at the Sun 45 minutes before the 9pm start. That’s ridiculous, but I’d told Mum I was meeting friends and felt it was suspicious to leave it too late.

It was very quiet in the lounge, but at least I got the chance to nab the warmest table next to the radiator and the Bass bottles.

The chance to take some photos of old photos, too. Note below the glorious sight of Maltmeister driving Duncan for the ticks in c.1960 (based on that car).

I’ve written enough about the Sun already. Blimey, I declared it the best pub in the world in a national newspaper a year ago this month.

But you should never take simple brilliance for granted. Or giant fireplaces,

Or a pint of Pride that, yes, is drinking well (NBSS 3.5+).

But I’m glad when Mike arrives, approves of my seating choice, and goes for the Pride as well.

But half an hour till quiz kick-off leaves time for that Old Empire, another underrated classic from Wolverhampton (3.5).

Sadly, there were no questions about Wolverhampton, or pubs, amongst the 50 questions, and I reckon sticking to orange juice is the order of the day if you take quizzing seriously. Which I don’t. Certainly none of the other two dozen contestants were keeping the pumps busy.

Except we woz robbed. Copyright expires seventy (70) years after death of the author, NOT 50.

And what on earth was Bagelsteve in that dingbats section ?

*The runner-up won three pints of Fosters.