Ruby 75

Discussion about Ruby Murray.
Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

Hello Friends,

Due to the fact that I inadvertently duplicated a posting here I have edited the offending part out. Go to the next posting. If you pass 'GO' do not collect . . . . .

Adios Amigos Bernie
Last edited by Bernie Burgess on Tue Apr 13, 2010 6:21 am, edited 1 time in total.

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

Continued from previous posting where I discovered the Car Hire Office was closed.. . . . . . . . . .

"It opens at 8am tomorrow morning" the lady told me. Not a chance now of getting
to my hoteI so I returned inside the airport terminal to survey what my chances were of being able to lay down somewhere to get some sleep. I discovered that there were some bucket seats in a corner café/restaurant and a young couple appeared to be trying to get comfortable, perhaps like me, for the night. A Security man appeared and I feared the worst and I quite expected to be told “You can’t stay there sir” but no, he showed concern and enquired as to whether I had a problem. I was tempted to say “Have you got an hour or so?” He was very sympathetic and pointed to the corner bucket seats and suggested that I try getting some comfort by using them. Has anyone ever tried to ‘nod off’ in a bucket seat?- I don’t recommend it.
There were also some ordinary chairs so I pull 4 of them into a straight row and laid horizontal in a straight line. I remembered my blow up pillow that I had bought from a Chinese bazaar in Albir. I took it from my small rucksack and commenced to try to blow it up. The valve refused to open and the two sides appeared to be stuck together. I had nothing with me that would act to release the valve – except a comb. I gradually forced a couple of comb tooths into the cavity and it was enough for me to force some air into the pillow, but not much. The security man had warned me that the
airport was not a 24hr. airport and would close down when all flights had landed just before midnight. He added that the lights would be switched off but he kindly left the toilet light on for my use.

The lights dimmed and balancing as best I could on 4 narrow seats with a partially blown up pillow, I tried desperately to get to sleep. Not a chance.

How am I doing so far?

Continued in my next posting:-
Last edited by Bernie Burgess on Tue Apr 13, 2010 6:23 am, edited 1 time in total.

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

The continuing story:-

An eternity passed and at around 4am there were signs of activity. At 6am a young sales assistant appeared with a trolley packed sandwiches and packets of crisps to stock his counter. To my great relief he was willing to make me a cup of tea – NECTAR! I managed to kill time, with great difficulty, until nearly 8 am when I made my way –( in the pouring rain) – to the car hire desk where I found a young Eurasian man switching on his computer in readiness to start business. I gave him my name and he duly found my details on his screen. He then asked for my passport and my International Driving Licence which I had used repeatedly for a very long time. He looked at the licence and reported “Your licence ran out 2 days ago sir” I couldn’t believe what he was saying because I knew that when I got the licence it was a long term licence. To my horror he showed me the date and true enough it was out of date. With a shake of his head he handed the licence back to me, “Sorry Sir” - NOW WHAT??

To be continued:-
Adios Amigos. Bernie

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

The ongoing story:=

I told him that I needed to get to the crematorium in Torquay. He told me that my only chance would be to catch the shuttle bus from the airport to Exeter town centre. From there I must get to the Exeter Bus station and look for a bus to Torquay.
“No Sir, it doesn’t stop at the crematorium, you will need to catch another bus back to there". He indicated where the shuttle bus stopped so I made my way (in the pouring rain) to the spot where he told me the bus would stop but there was NO BUS SHELTER. I had JUST MISSED a shuttle bus so I must wait for the next one, IN AN HOUR. I returned to dry land, inside the terminal building, and went to the Flybe Customers’ Service Desk in search of possible solutions to my problems.
A young lady by the name of Beckie came to my rescue and set about trying her best to assist. I related my story to her and each disaster was greeted with “Oh! no” and peels of laughter. As a result of our exploration of possibilities we came to the conclusion that I should cancel my hotel booking, which was miles away from the crematorium, and book one that
was closer, Beckie turned to her computer and surveyed all hotels that were nearby. She then looked up the hotel that I needed to cancel and dialed the number and handed the telephone over to me. The receptionist took pity on me and decided, under the circumstance, not to charge me a cancellation fee. Beckie suggested The Travel Lodge Hotel which was at least a walkable distance from the crematorium, She dialed the number and made enquiries that revealed they had a vacant room and proceeded to reserve it and came to the point of asking me for my bankers card details. When I had previously used my Bank of Scotland (sterling) cards before I couldn’t recall having to give a pin number, but if I had one I couldn’t remember it. WHAT NOW?

You're getting there
Adios Amigos Bernie
Last edited by Bernie Burgess on Tue Apr 13, 2010 6:33 am, edited 3 times in total.

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

The story goes on:-

“No matter” said Beckie,” they will attend to everything when you get to their reception.” She added “It’s a pity that this is not happening at lunch time because I finish work at 12-30pm and I live in Paignton and could have driven you to Torquay” (It’s my guess that Torquay is about 28miles from Exeter airport). I thanked her for the suggestion whilst at the same time considering another 3 hour wait in the airport terminal.

My options were, - to wait for a shuttle bus and make no less than 3 bus trips, IF they all linked up – this is a SUNDAY, then hope that I can do the return trip via another 3 buses, which would also need to link up, or, wait another 3 hours for Beckie to leave off work and accept her very kind offer of being driven to Torquay. After much deliberation I opted for her kind offer of a lift to Torquay and returned to her desk to humbly accept her as a chauffer, she readily agreed. By this time my rear end was numb, I was foot sore and weary but perhaps another cup of tea and another sit in the bucket seats in the cafeteria would help to ease my predicament. I swear that the minute hand on my watch went into slow motion. By now I was familiar with every advert in the building, every aircraft that was either arriving or taking off and the fact that I must not leave my luggage unattended. Several more circuits around the interior of the building, another 2 cups of tea and 2 more trips to the loo and Beckie’s leaving off time eventually arrived. She ‘collected’ me and we walked to the car park (in the pouring rain).
More to come.
Adios Amigos.

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

Another instalment:-

Beckie explained to me that she had been commuting between Paignton and Exeter airport for quite a number of years, she also added that she tended to drive like a man, Jason Button came to mind. Safely belted up, we left the airport car park en route to Torquay and I instantly became aware of a distinct smell of burning rubber. Several times I remember thinking to myself “She is never going to attempt to overtake that car,…is she... Oh! yes she is…. OOOOPS!… PHEW! I tried hard to conceal my white knuckles and to convince myself that I would reach my destination… on one piece. To be fair to her Beckie was an excellent driver.
I explained to Beckie that I needed to purchase some flowers and either a pair of scissors or a knife to trim the grass with and asked if she would kindly drop me off at the shopping area which I knew was not all that far from the crematorium. She agreed but questioned whether I would be okay – (in the pouring rain), and I assured her that I would be fine. On approaching the shopping area Beckie kindly offered to pick me up again the following morning and take me back to Exeter Airport. She was, without doubt, my Guardian Angel who not only solved a lot of my problems but also lifted my spirits back up to normality. I didn’t see her exit from that car park due to a cloud of black smoke. (Only kidding Beckie).

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

I compared the roses in M&S and Sainsburys and opted for a dozen at M&S and took them to the cash desk for payment. I took out my bankers card to offer it for payment and of course realized that I hadn’t got a pin number. I paid for them in Sterling, a currency that by now I had very little of in my pockets, and duly paid for them. I enquired about the route to the crematorium and was told it was “Just down the road but don’t go on the main road, take the back road it takes you straight to the crematorium”. I was fairly familiar with the area and questioned in my mind whether in fact I would be better off taking the back road but bowed to local knowledge and took off (in the pouring rain). I swore they measured in Irish miles in Torquay. I suddenly realized that I hadn’t bought a card to attach to the roses, plus the fact that I omitted to buy a pair of scissor or a knife but it was too late now. I did however pass a petrol station which had birthday cards on display so I stopped off and bought a birthday card the continued my route march to the crematorium.
On my arrival I called into the office, which was at the entrance, to ask for a paper clip or for them to staple the card to the roses for me but when I mentioned that I knew that there were vases close to the Ruby’s plot and that I would collect one to place the roses in, I was abruptly pulled up with. “No sir, you cannot place them in one of those vases onto the grave, you will have to lay them on the floor” By now I was in no mood to be told what I could do with the roses. I promptly told them that I had flown from Spain to place roses on my wife’s grave and no way was I going to lay them on the floor. A solution was quickly found and with roses in hand and a wet birthday card I set off towards the area where Ruby’s plot was.(in the pouring rain). - AGAIN
To be continued:-

Adios Amigos. Bernie
Last edited by Bernie Burgess on Tue Apr 13, 2010 6:47 am, edited 2 times in total.

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

It goes on...
Arriving at graveside I commenced the cleaning up with the aid of my toothbrush and some tissues and tearing away at offending grass that was gradually creeping across the edges of the marble plinth. The vase room had a sink and taps so, with the aid of one of the ‘sacred’ vases, I took some water and cleaned up as best I could. Now for the photographs and the video, so out came my digital camera, which immediately became rain spattered and not easy to prepare. Nevertheless, (no pun intended) I took video and still shots (in the pouring rain) I felt sure that Ruby would have accepted that I did what I could under the circumstances and felt content to leave the scene. Now I must find the hotel, it was a Sunday. Fortunately there had just been a funeral service and although everyone had departed in their cars, two men were left in conversation. I asked them for directions to The Travelodge Hotel. “Ah! Yes, it’s just down the road…. where is your car?” “I’m on Shanks’s pony” I replied “Ah! Well then, it’s quite a walk, maybe 20mins”. (in the p………)

It never ends

Adios Amigos. Bernie.

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

………) I was quite a sight when I finally reached the hotel, now to register. Here we go again-“How will you be paying sir?” the receptionist enquired. Now of course I had little or NO STERLING so somehow a bankers card will have to be accepted… with no pin number. One way or another the receptionist overcame all the difficulties and without a pin number I booked a room. They were inquisitive, due I suspect to my appearance, and enquired whether I was okay. I related a mere part of my story which again was greeted by peels of laughter and “Oh! no” They gave me my room number and two plastic cards, one for the lift and one for my room. I was given instructions about how to operate the lift but apparently they were experiencing some operating difficulties. Needless to say I GOT STUCK IN THE LIFT and the doors refused to open. I imagined Abanazar was on the outside screaming at me –“The lamp boy… the lamp” I tried “Open O Sesame” but to no avail. Eventually I found the right combination between card and buttons and the doors opened, to my great relief. I found my room and dropped a wet rucksack in the bathroom, peeled off my wet coat and dried my hair. I needed a stiff drink before taking a hot shower and went back down to reception to find the bar. Again I was asked if I was alright by the lady behind the bar and once again- peels of laughter greeted my story. I wanted to telephone back to Spain to let Antoinette know that I was okay so I asked for the public coin box. “WE HAVEN'T GOT ONE SIR” she said, I couldn’t believe it- an hotel without a public telephone? I asked where the nearest one would be and to my dismay it was nearly HALF A MILE AWAY. Back to my room to put on the very wet coat and to set off in search of the public call box. (in the pouring rain)

We are coming to the pay off now.

Adios Amigos. Bernie
Last edited by Bernie Burgess on Tue Apr 13, 2010 6:52 am, edited 2 times in total.

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

The pay off!

You’re not going to believe this, - when I got through to my home number Antoinette had GONE OUT. AND.. I hadn’t even, as yet, got an answer phone service. The next morning a screech of brakes indicated the arrival of my Guardian Angel. Beckie was taking back to the airport,- bless her.-

THE END!

HAVE YOU EVER HAD ONE OF THOSE DAYS WHEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .???

Adios Amigos. Bernie.

MARTIN FOSTER
Posts: 344
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 1:37 pm
Location: MANCHESTER, UK
Contact:

Re: Ruby 75

Post by MARTIN FOSTER »

It's not sounding good so far Bernie! :-)

Thanks for serialising this for us, good idea.

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