Thursday, August 31, 2006

But last night....

I met Reidski and we had intended to go and see Volver.

First we ate at what has to be the best value and tastiest Italian in the West End and admired the waiter's holiday snaps of him with a camel....far better if I leave further details to the imagination!

But oh dear, the film was fully booked so what to do? Reidski decided he was going to take me to another beautiful pub which was just round the corner but we walked in to what he said was the wrong room...not the one with the amazing decor.However, he went to the order some drinks with the intention of taking me through to the other bar just as soon as I got back form a much needed trip to the loo.

Now I want to emphasis that I really was only gone two minutes at the most but by the time I got back he was already 'bessie mates' with the landlord plus half of the regulars, and had been coerced into a darts game. He confided in me that it must be 15 years since he had played darts in a pub and I feared he faced humiliation. I watched him as he scored 100 with his first three arrows.

You know when past half remembered conversations suddenly drift back? Well I found myself wondering what exactly it was he had told me along the lines of 'nearly playing darts for Scotland' before he left there and came to England. Anyway, it was pretty soon apparent that he was not going to be exactly humiliated; the jaws of the other blokes were falling rapidly. Reidski is in fact a brilliant darts player. He won the first game with his partner with embarrassing ease.

When we had planned our night out I have to say that the idea that I would come down for an evening of darts was not in my top ten of suggested activities so I was not completely overjoyed to be told I had a partner...poor Tom must have wondered what he had done to deserve me...and that I was playing next. Not only had I not played darts in a pub for well over 15 years, but when I last did I didn't exactly get close to an international call up - might have been upsetting had I not known perfectly well how absolutely crap I am at darts. But as someone not unaccustomed to showing myself up in public I took a big sigh and started playing darts.

And we carried on playing darts...all night. OK - I can't recommend this pub highly enough. I did get to see the amazing decor as the landlord gave us a guided tour later but that isn't why it is so good.It is one of the friendliest places I have ever been in. We had a simply fantastic night there and I can't wait to go back again.

As to my dart playing, well, I am still fairly useless, however......


Reidski only lost two games all night, one to a double 19 and one to a double 4 and modesty does not forbid me from telling you that I got them both. Who says miracles never happen!

10 comments:

Reidski said...

Yes, it was a fantastic night indeed!! And a great, friendly pub it was. We definitely will return.

Babs said...

Gah. I couldn't play darts if my life depended on it. I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.

Me brother might like going there, mind. He's got his own darts and everything.

Holly said...

Im useless at darts whereas pool, now you're talking!! Sounds like another great night!!

Anxious said...

I don't think I throw them right. They always go wobbly...

When I lived in France, I had to teach a barful of French people how to play darts. They didn't even know about doubles, trebles or the backwards scoring, let alone finishing on a double!

Brom said...

Glad you are enjoying life... I'm still around, and one day soon I'll be around. you know what I mean!

J.J said...

I think Babs, Moo and Anxious that this just goes to prove that we girls have better things to do with our lives than spend hours in the pub throwing arrows! But I bet that was a great night you had in France Anx!

Hiya Brom...good to hear from you. Your blog is much missed.

And yes Reidski, it was great and tonight will be good too!

Lisa Rullsenberg said...

There's a barn door somewhere within 10 feet of the darts board? There's no chance of me even hitting that...

Kevin Williamson said...

Sounds like a quality night oot Jane. Now you've learned that a competent grasp of dartistry is an intrinsic part of yer average Scottish male's DNA structure. Anything less would be to open yer genes up to weird and useless stuff like croquet or cricket. I mean, how can ye hunt and chib if thats yer basic skills-range?

J.J said...

Kev -I love the word 'dartistry'!

Anonymous said...

Is Reidski Polish?