AWAYDAY - CHRISTMAS MEETING = PROUD CITY, LONDON
Organised by OWEN
Owen had been landed with one of the most difficult meetings to organise. The annual Christmas blow-out. He found a possibility early on, A BURLESQUE night at PROUD CITY in, of all paces, The City.
There were initial issues with it being (1) A gay night (2) A transvestite night (3) A pedo night, but he persevered. It turned out to be a Burlesque Night. As we all know Burlesque nights are tailored to suit the straight/couples/lesbian/blokes/animal lovers/vegetarian/vegan market (as in all sorts) by the simple expedient of sending tubby birds down the catwalk in a non-threatening (and it has to be said - pretty non sexual) manner thereby upsetting no-one, and entertaining almost as many.
Dressed in festive OPPOSUIT jackets we presented oursleves at the venue. Crammed onto three round tables with the need for at least half of us to swivel our necks through 180 degrees to admire a chubwub waddling down the catwalk, we were served a plate of foodish sort of stuff and presented with a variety of drinky-poos.
The highlight of the evening was someone trying to blind poor Ian, who would have decked the miscreant, if he had been able to extricate himself from the table to do so.
I include this picture of Nick in raptures over the heffalumpapigs waddling around and trying to put us off our beers as a warning to anyone considering a Burlesque evening in the future. My advise is DON'T. They sound good, look distinctly average.
The photo below show Dr Oliver Else, who, in his hurry to escape the venue, decided to pay his £90 share of the bill to an anonymous passing waiter and then staggered out. into the night air.
This £90 was not credited to the correct table. Unsurpringly!
Ollie thus left poor Brian to pay both his bill and Hugh's, both of whom had scarpered.
Hugh promptly repaid Brian his money the following day. Ollie has NOT. Pleading in his defence that he had already paid. Just not to the right table.
Brian pleads in his own defence that Oliie did NOT pay his bill, he did indeed pay £90 to a passing stranger, but it was not creditied to his bill. Brian paid Ollie's bill and had he not done so would not haven been able to exit said establishment.
To this date Ollie refuses to pay Brian the money he owes, claiming that he should not have to pay twice. Brian, very reasonably in my opinion, feels it is Ollie's problem. Brian is out of pocket £90 due to Ollie not making certain the money he paid went to the right place. Ollie has not even offered to split the difference. I leave it to GASS members to make up their own minds on this appalling behaviour by a pillar of society and an ex-chairman!!
VIDEO VOLUME CONTROL - BUTTON BOTTOM RIGHT
On the left you can see Ian performing first aid on himself and a slightly downcast Gary (who I seem to recall was the instigator, but no matter). No harm done, except to Ian's eye of course.
Despite poor, poor Brian being well and truely shafted by horrible cruel Doctor Else who should be ashamed of himself, the evening was a success.
In the discussions after, however, it was suggested that a more private, make-your-own-entertainment style Christmas do might suit GASS more. That being corralled into set tables and forced to sit still for two hours was not ideal. We want more movement and a chance to banter and muck about. So bear that in mind whoever picks the Christmas Meeting for 2024, which will be drawn at the AGM in Croatia.
I put this pic in just in case you thought I was kidding about dining alone in dark room fit for 100