“You can be lucky, can’t you.” Its a well known phrase and used very often but one day it took on a whole new meaning for me. Let me start from the beginning.
The train and locomotive union went on an unexpected strike one day. They sprung it on everyone in the workforce without prior warning and left hundreds of thousands of rail commuters, like myself, stranded. Most people had to make their own way into work by private car or organise some sort of alternative transport.
This was all a little too much trouble for my liking because I was still only a third year apprentice and did not own a car, so I decided to give work a big miss that day. The reason being, I would tell management the next day, that due to the short notice of the strike, I hadn’t been able to organise a lift into work.
I stayed in bed late, got up about 9:30am and after a good long shower had a leisurely breakfast.
“What a life,” I thought, “There should more of it.”
I rang my mate Vic, who I know had a flexy day off that day.
“How ya doing Vic? I’m having a day off today. No trains running today so I decided to not bother turning up at all. Bugger ’em, they can do without me for the day. So what’s cooking?”
Vic said: “Andy and I have booked to play golf at Waverley at 11:15am. Do you want to play? You’re welcome to come along if you like. Andy’s picking me up at half past ten. If you walk down here we’ll go together. Don’t be bloody late though, mate, because if we’re not there on time they give the booking to someone else.”
“No worries Vic, I’m ready to go right now, give me fifteen minutes and I’ll be there.”
“OK. I’ll see you then.”
I quickly grabbed some cash for green fees and to hire a set of clubs and took off down to the Vic’s place about four streets away. I’d be there in plenty of time, no problem.
As I walked past the local milk bar on main street I walked slap bank into Don, the boss’s son who was repping for a company at that particular time. He’d gone in to get himself a can of soft drink and was obviously surprised to see me.
“Tony! What are you doing here? I thought you’d be at work.”
Not being noted for my quick thinking I replied: “I couldn’t get to work Don. There’s a train strike on and it was too late for me to organise somebody to pick me up.”
“No worries mate,” said Don, “Hop in, I’m just on my way into work right now. I’ll give you a lift in.”
What could I do? I was well and truly snookered and all the way into work I could visualise Vic and Andy’s angry faces as they waited for me to turn up for our game of golf. I’ll bet they thought very highly of my effort.
I found out later that they missed out on their game and vowed what they would do to me the next time me.
You can be lucky, can’t you.
