Bus Troubles

KENT COUNTY MATCH

For Kent County Home Matches I would take the Sheppey Players down to Pool Land Ramsgate in my Mini bus.

For away Games Over to Farthing Corner on the M2 where we would pick up the 48 seat team coach coming up from Thanet.

With the A, B and Ladies teams there were 33 Players which left room for some supporters and officials. On this particular occasion in July, Jock Connors Brother Fred was along with us, Now Fred was know as “The Cue Doctor”. He is the only Bloke I know who took his Wife to Hospital when she was about 7 months Pregnant and they sent her home and kept Fred in. This story is about the journey home, The Ladies team always sat at the back of the coach. The lady sitting in the middle of the back seat looking straight up the centre of the coach complained of the noise the men were making had given her a “ HEADACHE”.

Up jumps Fred, I Can cure that says Fred, I have Healing hands and proceeds to the back of the coach. By this time the coach has gone Quite, On reaching the young lady Fred says Now where is the pain and whole coach shout in her bloody Head. This did not deter Fred and he massaged the ladies head and after just a few minute’s. She said the head ache had gone. We don’t know to this day if she just said that to get rid of Fred or his Healing hands worked, I like to think they worked.

There was more drama to come on this journey home, The rear near side wheel came off the Mini Bus just as we past Humphreys loop.

Up jumps Fred the wheels come off the bus he shouts I turned to Fred and was just about to say don’t talk like a c*~$ when I saw the wheel go flying past us and landing in the corn field. Now bearing in mind I had about 12 well oiled passengers on board and none of them had seen where the wheel had gone. While I was busy jacking the bus up and taken nuts of the other wheels so as to put the spare one on they were spread out in a line walking through the corn field looking for the wheel.

They looked like Police looking for clues in a Murder case, unfortunately they were going the wrong way. Pointing I told them it went that way they all turned on mass and started going in the opposite direction. By this time Rubber Necker's had caused a tail back, however Tony Gray found the wheel the hub cap was still on it and the nuts in side so we just put the wheel back on again and I took everybody home.

JVAs “The Pool Years”