Saturday 9 May 2009

Here's to you, Mary

Last time I was at Galabank, just before Christmas, the hospitality was wonderful in the Annan Athletic club house, but the pitch and the football were dire... and Dumbarton lost right at the end of the game. Little did I suspect on that damp day that I would be returning in May 2009 to watch my beloved Sons being crowned Third Division Champions. (Yes, I know I keep going on about it, but moons are not often blue.)  Anyway, today the club house is closed to visiting supporters, I imagine for health and safety reasons, or possibly because the Annan faithful - who have their own reasons to celebrate a fine first season in the SFL - want a bit of peace and quiet! There's also going to be strict separation of supporters in the ground itself. This means that it is unlikely that I will get to say 'hello' to one very distinguished and venerable Galabankies fan. Mary Burns in a sprightly 95-years-old. I met her son, Michael, a JP, at the conference I was involved with in Sheffield two weeks ago. She attends as many home games as possible. Sometimes, however, she can't go because a friend of hers who is "much older" (97!) can be a little frail. Well, I hope you have a marvellous day, Mary.   Even if there are a lot of annoying Dumbarton supporters around going on and on about their triumph!
--------------

2 comments:

Jack Deighton said...

There's a misconception about blue moons, Simon and I agree the phrase is used as a metaphor for an unusual event.
Here, though, comes full blown pedant mode:-
There are thirteen lunar months in a calendar year so I think there's actually a blue moon every year or so as I believe it's the technical term for a second new moon in the same calendar month.
But I knew what you meant.

Simon Barrow said...

Caught out playing with a lazy metaphor. It's afir cop, guv. And very writerly of you ;) I mean that as a compliment, btw! Useful to be reminded about the actuality of blue moons. Not at all pedantic. You should hear me going on about popular misunderstandings of King Canute (who was trying to show how silly it was to try to hold back the tide) and the Luddites (who were not opposed to machines, but the way they were being used against the workers).