Autumn Newsletter 9

Quiz Night - 9 September - George Bray

There it was on the programme but unfortunately our Quiz Queen, Mary, would not be there. O.K so I'll have a go - it shouldn't be too bad to cobble a quiz together - a whip through the Trivial Pursuit box should make life easy - Fond Hope!
The prospect of trailing through umpteen boxes of Trivial Pursuit did not impress so lets take the easy way and crib from the TV. After sitting through several episodes of "15 to 1"," Who wants to be a Millionaire" and"The Weakest Link", I was no further forward - who knows much about Greek and Roman gods anyway?
At last Salvation! I was given a couple of Quiz books guaranteed to suit all tastes and off I went. Wait a moment though, that TV programme has been off for years and that chap's been dead for ages - What's the date of this book? - 1989 revised in 1995! Well whoever revised it didn't look at the Radio Times or the Obituary column. Pressing on with visits to the library, picking the brains of the family and even calls to the RYA (who appear never to have heard of Francis Chichester or Alec Rose) and with a cold towel draped round the head, at last the quiz was complete.

So I showed it to my firmest critic. It's quite good she said but people are going to come for Fish and Chips, a Drink and a Social Chat - Are you running a Quiz night or an A level exam?
Ho Hum back to the drawing board.
Came the evening - Peter and Diana were organising the menu and collection with their usual efficiency. Whilst they were away we held a warm up quiz which became a bit confused when some souls couldn't remember which syndicate they were helping. On the dot at 9.15, Peter and Diana arrived with the fish and chips from Superfish and the serious business of consumption began to the accompaniment of the Last Night of the Proms.
Cleared away, out with the pens and paper and our members tackled the main quiz with their usual amalgam of enthusiasm, knowledge and cheating (Joan was offered Ł5 for the answers - the quizmaster would have settled at three). After questions ranging from the Olympics, America and Entertainment to Lighthouses, the "Ferrari" syndicate, firing on all cylinders, passed everybody on the run in to score a notable victory.
Well, I enjoyed it - I think everybody else did - at least I wasn't lynched for the odd mistake (apologies Capt Hastings).
PS. Mary, please do the next one!
PPS. Second-hand Quiz book for sale - one careful owner.