Words for Hash #2105,
Who was there:
Roger the Dodger, Well Hopped, Big End, Swinger, Forrest Stump, Wet Johnny, Bee Flicker, Piltdown Man, Georgie P'Orgy, Coldtits, SMEllie, Ernie, Man Pig , Warm Front, Psycho, and Beefy. In the pub were Wet Fart and Threesum.
The first day of December marks the start of meteorological winter. Night had fallen and, in so doing , had set a trend*. The scene, presented to Hashers as they arrived, was Bible black and washed down with a biblical amount of rain. This, made all the more chilly with a south-westerly breeze. The hum and rattle of early conversations, before the Circle, expressed much sympathy for Roger the Dodger as all had witnessed the day's precipitation and, probably, had inferred: "I'm glad it's not me."
Gradually, chariots were arriving: I saw Forrest, Wet Johnny and Bee Flicker arrive. Soon after, Piltdown Man was seen wandering around trying to collect names: a valiant effort on its own as it was raining quite hard still.
It became apparent that we needed to Circle. Beefy suggested we move out of the rear cp and Circled, instead, at the front of the pub so that we were in the relatively sheltered lee of the building.
The rain continued and, through it, came Warm Front and Psycho ruing, apparently, their combined resolve to venture out on such an evening. Warm Front had little to complain about: sporting, as she was, a brand new coat, hand-finished by Hermes Trismegistus himself judging by the way it shed drops of the persistent rain so readily.
Vice Grand Master, Forrest, called for a Circle to form and sixteen wet Hashers tried to ignore the even-more-rain and managed to look happy.
SMEllie asked for Hares for January because there aren't any. Man Pig asked for a volunteer to write the Words.
Over to the Hares. There is a long, a short and a walkers' Trail, marked on the right unless it had to be on the left. Dots and a lot of arrows were the marks and the idea of checks was abandoned as earlier marks had washed away.
There is a Sweetie Stop (hurrah!) which can be found by using the foot crossing on the main road by the car dealership.
So, we set off... in the rain.
The Pack set off up Bishop's Avenue and soon I found myself in the esteemed company of Psycho and Wet Johnny and so it remained. Bee Flicker and Warm Front were well ahead and stayed there.
Meanwhile, our trail took us to Fore Street and then onto Radway Hill. This gave onto Radway Street until we hit Old Walls Hill. Somewhere around here Wet Johnny mentioned that we were still going uphill. This fact had not escaped his companions. Nor had the fact that the rain had, at last, called off its assault.
We left Old Walls Hill and headed for Postman's Path which two thirds of us negotiated in an upright position. I saw *Wet Johnny's tumble in all its glory as I was at the back. He executed a tuck'n'roll and was straight back on his feet.
We left the path directed, by arrows and dots, first left, then right at the road junction then left again into Three Trees Lane- a very welcome downhill stretch of winding, leaf-strewn byway which took us to Humber Lane where an arrow (spotted only by Psycho) sent us left
towards Humber where another arrow directed us on past the brewery . Yet more arrows indicated our route along the road to a crossroads where we turned right and at the next crossroads we turned left. We joined Lindridge road and missed the next arrow which took the Trail down the steps.
We three continued on down Smith Hill, along Clanage Street and on to Fore Street. The other two thirds of us knew exactly where we were so, I was happily being guided by them to the Sweetie Stop.
And, what a Sweetie Stop it was! This was no carrier bag of Haribos hanging from a stick in the rain: no sir! Most of us are familiar with R.t.D's Sweetie Stops: always generous with much thought and effort put into presentation and execution. This was a scaled down version owing to the need to find a sheltered spot for it. It was, nonetheless, impressive. A great variety of sweets, crisps, mince pies and drinks (including Rum, of course!) was on offer on tables, under an illuminated shelter and guarded by a Robin. Gnorman the Gnome had the evening off which shame but quite understandable. See you next time, Gnorman!
When we got to the S/S, we saw Warm Front for the first time since leaving the pub. Bee Flicker had gone on but, *Warm Front was busy with the task of eating as much as possible. Then, she announced that she had fallen over on Trail and "landed on my beautiful face" as she put it. Sure enough, there was a graze on her right cheek bone. Not only that, there was a fresh rip in the new coat!
During our conversations at the S/S, we realised the nobody had seen Ernie and Man Pig. We hoped all was right with them and, after saluting Roger the Dodger, we made our way back to the On Down. Just as we were crossing the road the aforementioned Ernie and Man Pig hove into view. Happily we called "On On!" to each other and continued on our way. (*Ernie, it turns out, was the third faller On Trail).
At the pub cp Coldtits asked if anyone had seen SMEllie. We hadn't and Coldtits seemed a little concerned. SMEllie was certainly back before I went inside so, all was well there.
A bunch of happy Hashers populated the lounge area and Forrest donned his RA hat having doffed his Vice GM hat and we cheered for the Trail and thanked the Hare, and the Hash for the Beer. The Hares were called up so, there was a daddy/daughter Beer race as the first Down-down.
Forrest produced the Hashit Shirt (from his freezer, apparently) and handed it to Warm Front for her tumble.
One beer left. It went to Man Pig for preventing Forrest from awarding it to himself for forgetting to bring his running leg to the Hash. No doubt he will be kicking himself with it when he gets it back.
Well done Roger the Dodger and Well Hopped for a stirling effort.
On on until next week when we will be at the King Bill, Totnes with Wet Johnny. I believe it has been fifty three weeks since last we were there.
On on, Beefy.
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