Tony? Where's Tony?

Or, how to get a free lunch!
by Nigel. G4KIU

In the middle of December, the 3B9C lost a team member - but he was perfectly safe!

During December, team members spend three days preparing and loading a 20ft. container making it ready to travel to Rodrigues Island with equipment and the necessary accessories to make operations a success.

On Saturday, the final day, 11 members of them team had been working for several hours at the container site, the warehouse owned by Nevada. By 1.30 p.m. the team were getting hungry for a bite to eat and some well earned beer. A call to down tools was made and team members made their way to the several cars which were to take us to the local pub for lunch.

Mike (G3SED), locked the doors of his warehouse and three cars drove the two miles to the pub. Drinks were purchased and food orders considered, when someone said "Tony? Where's Tony?"

Some debate took place as to who had driven Tony (G0OPB) from the warehouse to the pub and after a few moments it became evident that Tony hadn't travelled with anyone. The truth dawned on the team, that Tony could only be at the warehouse - safely locked inside and unable to escape. No reply from Tony's mobile phone (later discovered to be outside in his car) and the phone system at Nevada was switched off for the weekend.

Mike jumped in his car, and upon arrival at the warehouse, discovered our missing team member calmly working on some equipment. Tony had gone to the toilet just before the team left for the pub, and on emerging, discovered that he was not only alone, but locked in the warehouse and stranded.

The team were relieved when Tony and Mike appeared at the pub a few minutes later, for a well earned drink and lunch.

The Moral: If you don't want to pay for your own pub lunch, get yourself locked in a warehouse and then make sure that someone else treats you to the meal.