Manchester in the 70's
We had to suffer all them power cuts and stuff, making winter evenings really dark. We had to make our own entertainment by either candle or torch light. My father was well connected in the newspaper business around that time, and had met with Leslie Scott, of Oxford Games Ltd, who was trying to promote her, as yet, un-named parlour games. It involved building a tower of strips of wood, and pulling them out in rote until a player toppled the tower. She gave him a set and it became a real hit in our house.

I was ace at it. My keen eye for balance and my steady hand meant I could win 99% of every game.

Dad also took it to work, and used to set it up in Sports Editorial. The old hacks loved it, and eventually they got the joiners to make them their own set. Dad told me that couple of professional footballers from two of the local teams were coming into the office, and they were going to have a play off at this game for a photo-shoot. My dad hated the Red team, and he was Blue to the core.

He arranged it so that I would be in the office on the day, and using a set of pre-arranged coded instructions, the guy in the Blue Tie would pull the right piece of wood, and use my knowledge to beat the guy in the Red Tie.

I didn't know what Vegas was, and Deer Hunter hadn't even been invented, but I assumed it was the closest in high tension competition that anyone could reach. The hacks stood around, smoking fags, mugs of tea sloshing about, and the two footballers eyed each other's move across the editorial office desks. The tower was errected, and the match to end all matches began. Team pride was at stake.

Everything went to plan. Nobody took notice of the kid in the office, as I gave the Blue Tie subtle but essential clues as to which brick he should pull. Eventually the Red Tie toppled the tower, photos were taken, scotch was drank (not by me) and everyone in the office did some back slapping.

And that's how I became the Block Cheat of the Franny Lee.

Height: 11 column inches (400 words).
( Piper Alpha is being a grumpy northerm bastard on:, Thu 20 Feb 2014, 13:54, 1 reply)

Very good

(bad_advice QOTW survivor from the first trollocost!, Fri 21 Feb 2014, 22:28, closed)