Oh James!

I found myself with some free time yesterday and as it was summer in Scotland (approximate duration 24 hours) I took my bike to the neighbouring island of Cumbrae for a cycle. Unbeknownst to me, dearly beloved had taken his boat over too and was sitting in the bay. We found this out by phone and he said if I cycled to the pier he would try to get me on board. This was not something we had done before. This was not folding bike, this was heavy and awkward bike.

While I waited for him to come in to the pier steps I asked a sturdy looking man if he would carry the bike down for me, which he did. Some local kids were paying at jumping from the pier into the water and one tubby little boy was looking on wistfully. The same TLB asked why I had taken my bike down to water lever and I told him I was going to cycle to shore. Strangely enough, he didn't believe me.

DB pulled alongside in the boat and threw the rope to TLB who was thrilled with his new responsibilities. Then DB jumped off. He takes a few hours off work mid-day and had been to a meeting in the morning. Because he was going back into the shop at three, he hadn't changed. So there he was, under the pier with all these dripping and bedraggled children and me and my bike him dressed in his shiny black shoes, immaculately creased black trousers and crisp white shirt looking for all the world like James Bond. He lifted the bike on board and off we went leaving the children open mouthed. I've told him that in future he must keep a bow tie and a box of milk tray on board for just such an occasion.