Cinco de Mayo!

"I don't learn so good, no matter how good the teacher is." Warren Zevon

I really really ought to be busy.

We've scheduled a Big Burn for this evening. Other wise known as a Bonfire, BBQ n Beers at the Homestead. OH, and bloggin' by the fire I'd imagine.... Wonder if he cleaned the hot tub..........

Cinco de Mayo also begs, Tequila.

It's the anniversary of "Lost and Alone In Piccadilly" too.

We had two T-39s in Sicily.

One of them broke down outside London so we saddled up the other one and headed up. I don't recall what the problem was but we had to wait on parts to arrive. We spent two or three nights in London.

One of those nights being Cinco de Mayo. Two flight crews and two Mechs (eight of us) set ot to find a Mexican restaurant.

After dinner it was off to the pub. No sooner get there and they rang the bell, Last Call.

One pint later our crew began to break up. Half of them went back to the hotel.

The other, better, half set out to find an after hours joint.

Down to one Pilot, one Crewman and two Mechs we approached one place and were informed that it was couples only.

Crewman "Dog" hugged Pilot "Hook" and said, "We're a couple."
The doorman replied, "You'll find a perfectly lovely place right around the corner."

Hook and the other Mech surrendered, peeled off and went to the hotel.

Just ol' Dog and I trooped on around Piccadilly looking for another beer or three.

You should know that Dog had a reputation for getting trashed, going home with a woman and forgetting what hotel he was staying in.

We found ourselves in The Palladium. THE Palladium. A big dark disco.

We scored our drinks and Dog went to prowl.

I sat there watching the crowd slowly fill in. (It was early yet despite the after hours rating.) I'd occasionally catch a glimpse of Dog hitting on and dancing with a pallet of women.

One thought kept coming to me, "The freakin' Beatles played here!"

Many beers and hours later I cornered Dog.
"It's time for me to RTB. What's your plan?"

Of course he was not ready to roll.

I grilled him over and over about the hotel, his room number and most important our departure time for the following morning!

Once I got out from under the techno-disco and lights I found that I really wasn't ready for bed so I set about exploring. Just wandering really. I paused at a payphone. Long enough to punch in a string of numbers. I got as far as an area code and decided, again, it wasn't the right time. I wandered.

I thought I was keeping track of my position. When my legs began to complain I tried to reverse course.

I threw in the towel when I came upon a long line of taxi's. The driver laughed when I gave him my destination. The hotel was close but still far enough that it was worth giving up his place at the head of the line.

Another anti-climax. I got back OK. Dog got back OK. We made the flight OK.

I've got brush to burn and bags to pack.