Hi All and Hash Beer in particular,

 

Did anyone pick up a Renault car key at the circle after today's run?  Black, not on a key ring and maybe dropped into Hash Beer's boot in the clamour for gluwein.  I opened my car at the end of the run so lost it between then and leaving (or not leaving as it happened!).   Many thanks to Harley who was the only hasher left while I was frantically searching and who thankfully had a mobile - I phoned "she who stays at home", hinted she should fetch the spare key, started to say where the On-On was near Garlogie when Harley's mobile battery ran out!

 

Now for the good bit (Scribe to note this as accompaniment for, or instead of, the write-up) -

 

Concerned that Maggie wouldn't find me before I froze, I hashed towards the junction at the end of the minor road towards Banchory.  Either she had put the foot down or I was slow, coz she had whizzed by and done the full Garlogie tour before finding the EMPTY Scenic.  Says she got out and called my name loudly for a while - touching, eh?  Using female powers of deduction when dealing with incompetent males, she then made another loop of Garlogie and we were joylessly reunited - by this time I was frozen.   Then both back to the On-On and more fruitless searching.  Before heading back home in both cars I told Maggie about the armed police presence at the gas pumping station and wondered if our antics had been noted.

 

YES, apparently!   As we turned right at the junction for Banchory, the police landrover was sitting there.  I thought, they'll note the car regs and relax after checking we are bone fide local residents.   WRONG - Police raided us at home half an hour later!   Had to explain our suspicious behaviour, in particular the 3 circuits of the pumping station .   Also, had to explain hashing (again), and why we picked Garlogie??   I convinced him hashing was harmless by showing him sample e-mails about hash events but not any photographs!   I did not mention police states, cash for honours or down-downs, speaking of which thank goodness I'm not Numbskull who always gets several.  Our by-now friendly policeman then had a pow-wow with anti-terrorism HQ and left (there was a bit where the other end were obviously querying what the "hashing" thing was!).  He did ask where we were hashing next week before leaving - suggest you leave the fancy dress at home, Numbskull.

 

Can Hash Beer please look in the boot.

 

On-On, Whinger