George and Sammy are at the pub. George comments that it is a quiet night and Sammy agrees. Just then a woman appears asking for help because she got soaked with beer trying to change a barrel. Later George and Sammy come home bandaged. Lynne asks what happened and George replies that they got trampled in the rush.
George and Sammy are at the The Ferryboat, their local pub. It is not very busy, evident from George's comment and the fact that they have both got stools at the bar. We can't be sure how many people are in the pub tonight but George and Sammy's end of the bar is certainly not being staffed right now. The other part of the bar may be busy, but relaxed.
The barmaid has failed to properly change the barrel of beer. This is most likely because she has not changed a barrel without supervision before. The manager of the bar thought this would be an ideal night for her to try it alone because the bar wasn't that busy and he could get by without her behind the bar for a short time. I do not know how easy or difficult it is to change a barrel of beer but this may have been a casket of guest ale which didn't come in a metal keg. It could also have been defective in which case the manager may want to take that up with the brewery.
From their bandages, it looks like George has sprained his arm and Sammy has a cut on his head. The rush of male patrons must have come from George's left side, knocking his right arm into the bar and then smashing Sammy's head to the bar or the floor. We don't know if George and Sammy went to hospital but because they haven't phoned their wives to tell them about the incident it suggests that the barmaid herself patched up the two men. She felt guilty that they were the only two injured. The throng of male clientele failed to save the barrel in question and the barmaid was told to go directly to the manager next time she had a problem to avoid such an incident again.
this is the same Ferryboat where Lynne was causing a distraction the other week. I must find this pub. All the ones round my way just have surly kids or grumpy women behind the bar.
ReplyDeletetapping a new barrel of real ale can be messy process if you don't get it right. we shouldn't let they amateurs anywhere near them.
if it's a quiet night, where did the rush come from?
ReplyDeleteIf this is the 1980's, pretty much all the beer will be keg, not cask. If the spike that runs down the centre of the keg was loose, or if the keg fitting was defective, then it's very possible to spray high-pressure beer all over the cellar. Someone will have to hose those walls down tonight or it'll go foul - next time they'll keep the cellarman on standby even on quiet days to save this mess next time.
ReplyDeleteSo, the question is, if George and Sammy say that the pub is very quiet, how can they then tell Lynne and 'Mantha that they were injured in the rush? The simple answer is that they are lying. After helping the hapless barmaid with her predicament, she 'thanks' them in the manner of an early 1980's adult film. During this process her boyfriend/husband cathes them and the result is an evening in A and E for George and Sammy. Luckily, Lynne and 'Mantha anren't the sharpest tools in the box and easily fall for George and Sammy's lie.
ReplyDelete