Danny's wife causes a Flutter in the Dovecots.
There was one occasion on which old 'Mickey' was in demand. For once it was raining, or threatening to rain: the Winged Wheel was out of the question for the morning radar watch. Mrs D. wanted to go to town that morning: we arranged that we would go out to Thorney together, drop me off at the Truck, she would carry on back into Havant or Southsea and return to Thorney to pick me up at 1300. Shouldn't be a problem.
Running in past the lights, I gave the most precise navigational instructions: "You must pass the first small turning on the right, then the next two large turnings, then look out for another very small opening on the right, with a path leading to that big red-and-white thing - that's where I work. Don't forget: it's one small, two large, then a tiny narrow one - that's the one. Got it ?" She assured me that she had, turned, and off she went.
It was a normal morning in the Truck (with next to nothing happening); when you've seen one seagull blip on the tube, you've seen 'em all. As the clock got round to 1230, I thought it a good idea to make the Local Controller privy to our arrangement. He'd seen 'Mickey' often enough, could spot it coming through, and keep an eye on it.
It seems she didn't want to be late for me, so set off shortly after twelve. It would be around 1240, my relief had just come in. The handover didn't take long and we were just finishing.
The Local Squawk Box shrilled: "Get your bloody wife off the runway !!"
I grabbed cap and coat and shot out. She'd turned one corner too soon, and was now wandering around on 19, roughly abeam the Truck (she'd served in the WRNS). She could see it all right and was looking for the access track that wasn't there (it was round the corner). She didn't at first see her demented husband galloping across the 75 yards of wet grass, waving his arms and hollering, until I was running alongside the car, banging on the roof.
Happily reunited, we retired in good order. No harm done.
Short one tonight. Will make up for it with the next instalment,
Danny42C.
Seek and ye shall find.