Met Nick on 11:14 train to Waterloo. He’d purchased a couple of milk bottles of Ballards which we drank on the journey, much to the amusement of a woman sitting opposite.
At Waterloo it was a pint in the Reef Bar and Maccas for Nick (erk) before getting the Tube to Dagenham East. It took 45 minutes! The Jubilee line would have been quicker but it was closed for engineering work – bastards.
We discussed the possible reasons for living in this awful area of London. All around West Ham it’s miserable, grey and grim (and that’s just the people). There’s no trees!
At the ground we went to the supporter’s bar for a couple of pints then took our places behind the goal. What a cack! Singing songs and hurling abuse. I had SUCH a great time. Also had an obligatory sausage and onions in a roll.
Surprise, surprise, the Folly Hill Beast was there! He was with some friends that I also recognised.
Poor Nick though. The Shots lost 3-0 and never looked like scoring anything. We left about three minutes before the end for the long Tube trip back to the Reef Bar where we met KD and Ruthie from Nick’s work.
Two pints later and it was off to a curry house just down from the Old Vic for a warming vindaloo (me) and more beer.
The journey home was very jolly. Nick handed out miniature bottles of Johnny Walker – mine went into my coffee – then drifted in and out of sleep.
I merrily wandered home, arriving at 11:30. What a great day out.
