22 years ago I was transferred between branches of the bank I worked for at the time. I was moved out of an inner city branch in Leeds 8 to a showpiece office in the heart of West Yorkshire, I was promoted and was assigned to work in the high flying Securities department. Everyone one of the members were on some form of accelerated training programme and I was one of them!
This branch was also in the centre of what passed for the party capital of the county. This was something I and the others in my department took advantage of as we found a reason to celebrate at least once a month, even if it was only the anniversary of the defence of Rorke's Drift against the Zulus (one for the history buffs there!).
The team I worked in was very closeknit, a little too close in some cases as some of the members separated from their current partners and became involved with colleagues. They made a success of the new relationships and as far as I know two of the couples are coming up to their 20th wedding anniversaries, but I'm getting away from the point of the post.
Having been appointed as Assistant Referee to two local finals around the time of my wife's birthday, we agreed to postpone celebrating until the football season had completely finished AND Saturday was THE day. The weekend had started well as my wife brought home McDonalds for tea on Friday and we spent the evening watching old films over a couple of glasses of wine/vodka.
Saturday found us dropping off our son at my mum's where he was busy gabbling about his "sleepover at Grannies". I missed the FA Cup Final as we had spent the early part of the afternoon at a local park playing football and on the swings (yes this was before we had dropped off the little man). We then headed to "Greasy Joe's" which had been my local fish'n'chips shop many years in the 70s and 80s and I was treated to the greatest fish'n'chips in the world.
We headed home, had a quick drink, got ready and headed to pick up my wife's friend. At her house I had to endure part of the Britain's Got Talent final ... not my kind of thing. We were soon joined by another friend and her bloke. They were the ones who introduced us nearly 7 years ago and it was good to see them again.
A short ride into town and we hit the first bar. It is situated on the site of what used to be the local newsagents. The owner used to like a dabble in shares and maybe he made his millions and moved on, maybe he didn't. Either way, where the People's Friend and Woman's Weekly used to be stacked is where the DJ stand is. Personally I'd have rather read the PF as the music he was playing (a trance/rave mix) was not to my taste!
We moved on quickly to the next bar which has been built up an alleyway at the back of my old bank office. It was very nice and very busy, but at least the music was more subdued and acceptable. The third bar was one of a chain of slightly ironic revival style bars. It only plays music from the late 70s/early 80s and has cheesy decor to match the same time period. It was here that I bumped into two of my old trainers from my local gym. I haven't been allowed to train weights for almost a year so haven't been back.
As I was about to leave I bumped into Adie, the legend. He was a referee on my Supply League just a couple of years ago but has been gracing the Football league line for the last 12 months or so. He tells me that he's given up Sunday League football ... lucky man!
My wife's former boss decided to take us to a bar which I am sure used to be the reception of a long established hotel. In there she persuaded the DJ to play some karaoke and I gave my rendition of Whiskey in the Jar (Thin Lizzy version) and Teenage Kicks (The Undertones version). We were also treated to some seriously good singing by some Scousers who were passing through the town.
By now, the drinks were flowing well and we headed for our last stop of the night, the local night club. It used to be the major draw for stag and hen parties from across the north of England. It lost a little of its attraction when there was some well publicised trouble and also Leeds transformed itself from an unwelcoming place into a town full of fashionable bars and clubs, taking away some of the trade from many of the local hotspots.
Either way, it was and still is a place to have some easy fun on a Saturday and we had a lot of fun. I bumped into Wally from one of my local Sunday teams and another referee, Tank. I met him a few summers ago at a Youth tournament and our paths have crossed a couple of times since. He's a big jolly bear of a man and good company. My wife lost her watch, but the ever vigilant author spotted it in the stage close to where she had been dancing. Two lads, with some gentle coercion got down on their hands and knees to retrieve it and my wife was very pleased.
It was soon home time and we headed outside. It has become almost obligatory for us to have a kebab on the way home however this time I spotted a van selling giant double cheeseburgers and was most insistent, in the way that only a drunk (and Little Britain's Andy can) by saying "I want that one" repeatedly until my wife relented and bought me the world's largest bacon double cheeseburger!
Once it was scoffed we headed home and managed to see the sun rise as we travelled along the motorway. A couple of hours sleep later and the year's hottest day had truly arrived. I can say that a hangover and hot weather do not go together and it took quite a few bottles of water to make me feel human. My wife was worse as it seemed her burger had given her an upset stomach and she was out of commission for much of the evening.
And the reason for this tale ... well it's simple, that was my last big night out for while as I start training towards the fitness test in October. Healthy eating and almost total abstinence from the booze (holiday and U2 concert excluded) together with a some hard training will hopefully see me across the line with 2501m completed in 12 minutes!!!
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