Scouting For Hounds

Another Thursday and with a full strength team and form figures reading 22211, the mood was good. We seemed to race through the drinks, which I had no problem with whatsoever. The usual business of the day was attended to first, not least how we were to spend our accumulated winnings. Now at some point, I don't quite know how, the conversation turned to the subject of "scouting". Actually, I do know how but more of that later.

Through the conversation it transpired that four of our number had been scouts in their time, that or beavers or badgers or whatever the associated age group "packs" are called. It probably won't surprise anyone that I was the odd one out in this. I put it down to the north south divide, I don't think scouting has ever made in north of Leighton Buzzard, and a good job too I'd say, Lord knows what they'd make of some of the practices in Mansfield.

All the same, I read and had some familiarity with the movement, Baden Powell and all that. However I'd always assumed that some of the more arcane stuff had either been abandoned round about the 30's or never even existed, effectively the product of satirisation by the likes of Comic Strip etc. That was what I thought anyway, some of the stuff our group freely admitted to included:

- sitting around campfires singing ging gang gooly and other such politically incorrect nonsense

- going round people's houses offering to perform services for money

- wearing woggles?!?

Well, maybe we didn't have jobs, fashionable clothing or more than 2 haircut options up north but at least we had our dignity. None of the others admitted to any actual abuse taking place, maybe the scars still run too deep.

Suitably traumatised it was onto the quiz and another round where I could scratch my nose or go to the bar as it was London bridges (they all look the same). The, frankly getting a bit samey, current affairs round was this week replaced by "odd one out", connections under another name but a fun opportunity to guess apple related themes, well done to Graham for bagging it first.

The actual connection round seemed to feature loads of people called John. Apparently the connection was they are all bald, I didn't think Eddie Jordan was bald but don't watch much F1 coverage, maybe it's a wig and I thought Homer Simpson has 3 hairs. I've missed out a round here but I've a note that says British Sh!t Coms so that must have been it. George & Mildred, Bread, Til Death Us Do Part and other such tripe. No Terry & June which was disappointing given our location.

2 out of 3, which ain't bad, on the ten pointers and the top 10 was back to countries, always a welcome theme, and the safest places in the world. These things tend to be a Scandinavian fest with a bit of SE Asia thrown in and so it proved. Canada made it too, never forget Canada plus a few central Europeans. The wipeout round was never truly in play but we collected 6 or 7 and the music was musical, by that time of the night the memory has pretty much gone.

Second to Lady And The Tramp resulted, not a bad show, a few points dropped here and there and maybe they beat us on the ten pointers. An embarrassing answer though on the chocolates round, I won't repeat it to spare blushes but maybe that was one we got our roles wrong.

Next event, Saturday in the scout hut and a chance for me to find out what its all about, if the woggles come out though, I'm making a run for it.