Sunday 24 July 2005

Moist

Today is the day of the annual Ottershaw Players Chairman's Garden Party. The last few years have seen gloriously hot and sunny weather on the occasion, and everyone spreads out over the lawn, enjoying the weather. Today, however, with 2 hours to go, it is pissing down with rain!

To be honest, I'm not that bothered. I'm on-call for work, so I can't drink, and we went to a BBQ yesterday at my boss's house down in Andover. This is another annual event, featuring the enormous Boys v. Girls game of rounders, at which the girls always win by lying about their score.

I hadn't played rounders since I was at school, 25 years ago, so I amazed myself by actually being able to hit the ball AND run around the bases, without making a complete arse of myself. Unfortunately, I spoiled the whole effect by a supremely inept display of fielding. I chased a ball to the outfield, picked it up and threw it towards 4th base, about 40 yards away. Except that I forgot to let go of the ball until much too late. The ball hit the ground about 3 feet in front of me, and my momentum carried me over into a half-somersault, at which point I simply lay on the ground like a beached whale. The angry shouts of my team-mates I could deal with. It was the hysterical laughter of the old codger, walking his dog, who was sitting on the bench only a few feet away which really hurt. I got up, picked up the ball and overarmed it to the pitcher - successfully this time. Then I took my position up at 2nd base and waited for the next batter.

No comments: