The Jolly Boatman, Thrupp, Oxon

It was dark, my feet were wet, the temperature was hovering around 2 degrees C, and there had not been a pub to take a break in the entire Hash.  And then, could it be?  On the canal path loomed the Jolly Boatman…result!  The pack had spread back enough that I had time for a quick one.

It seems a real professional place, and it was packed. But, I got the trainee bartender…”the glasses are over here, right?” he asked and then tentatively gave some nervous tugs to the ale pump (three on tap).  Okay, so my beer came out a little foamy, but I feel like I was his first and not at all as civilised as the other folk he’s likely to deal with.

As it should be.