Schoolboy Error

Yes, I am sitting here , red faced, reflecting on a schoolboy error I have just committed. Allow me to elucidate. Every summer I try to spend a few days with my mum and step dad. A couple of months ago they moved from Tottenham to Worthing, and we arrived for our inaugural visit yesterday.

Now, I had an idea this morning. Its Thursday, and as regular readers will know, Thursday evening is Aberavon Rugby Club quiz evening. Strictly speaking its my turn this week, but I've had to postpone that for a week - thanks Brian for accomodating that. As the geographically aware of you will know, its just too far for me to drive home just for the quiz. So I thought that if I got on the laptop this morning, you never know, I might be able to rustle up a local quiz within easy walking distance of my folks' house.

Such a quiz was what I came up with - at the North Star in Durrington. My youngest daughter, Jess, asked if she could come with me, and without even thinking about it, I said yes.

You don't have to be a genius to see where I'm going with this one. It never occured to me once that the pub might have a problem with Jess being there since she is only 17. She has been to quizzes with me before - and before any of my regular quizzes starts to panic they can be reassured that I have no intention of putting anywhere else on the spot by naming where she has been allowed to take part. So it never once occured to me to think that maybe taking her with me was not a good idea.

Well, as soon as we got to the pub, and I went up to order, the barmaid clocked Jess, who is, to be honest , a young looking 17, and asked how old she was. Without thinking I told the truth, and the barmaid , very politely, informed me that Jess would have to leave the pub by 9 o'clock, this being company policy. It was about 10 to nine at the time.

I don't blame the pub at all - in fact they probably deserve some praise for being strict enough about this sort of thing - and I don't blame Jess at all. Which is what I'm really annoyed about. I'm sitting here in my mum's, disappointed and angry, yet the only person I have to be angry with is myself. Not a nice feeling. Dumb, dumb, dumb !