The quiz night.

So, with my father here on Tuesday evening, I had the bright idea of going with some friends to a quiz night in a pub near here. I also took the opportunity to ask my friend Debbie (purely platonic, before you chime up) if she'd like a laugh and to come along as well. I briefed my father all about Debbie, and laid down the ground rules.

1. No flirting with or coming onto Debbie.
2. All rules must be obeyed.
3. See above
4. Except this one.

The place was heaving when we got there. Luckily for us, my great friends Marlene and Pete had the foresight to reserve a large table, and so we found a seat. Something most other people weren't so lucky with. With a tab set up on my father's credit card, and me in sole custody of the account, it started off slow enough. Pint of Kroney (for my father), Gin and Tonic (for Debbie), pint of soda water and lime (for me). Then it became double Gin, and after an hour Debbie exclaimed "Jesus Rik, slow down with the drinks will you. Are you trying to get me pissed?"
(embarrassing photo time)

Yes, my father looks pissed, because he was well on the way. Debbie, meanwhile, does admittedly look slightly pissed, but mainly pissed off. My father's regaling his tale of "When I was in Israel recently" for the fourth time, and we couldn't wait to actually get on with something to distract him.
The quiz was good. My father, whilst not completely compus mentis, managed to name "Alfie" as the 13 year boy who's now demanding a DNA test on his child. I meanwhile remembered that Filthy, Rich and Catflap starred Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson and Nigel Planer. I also remembered (God knows how) that the woman with the three dogs in Trumpton was called Miss Lovelace. And most spectacularly, the resident expert on the geography of his home for the past 15 years didn't believe me when I said Rhode Island was probably the 'Ocean State', arguing the Rhode Island isn't even a state.
We didn't win. We did score 38 out of 60, which does sound pathetic, but I was really chuffed with that score. My friends Peter and Marlene only scored 35, so I knew we were full of fail when it came to coming last. We dropped Debbie back home, and then for the next 10 minutes my father went into a speed "saying how nice Debbie was, and I'd done well to have her as a friend" session (I don't know what he was implying), before falling asleep in the car. We got home, and I walked him around the corner to his bed for the night, in the local farmhouse. Apparently he fell asleep with his TV on. Beer'll do that to you.
So that's the tale of the Quiz Night. Fun was had by all, and Debbie and I might even return next week, to see if we can get a lower score!