It's no joke
I was attending an Agricultural Fair one Spring at Lartington in Teesdale. It was the year we had the trouble with Argentina, no not the David Beckam incident but The Falklands War. The army enlistment team were at the fair looking for new blood and some were slightly the worse for drink.
When it was announced over the tannoy that the Belgrano had been sunk a great cheer went up around the field and more drink was taken. Some of the soldiers were looking at the watercolours on my stand, behind which I sat doing a demonstration. They were friendly and chatting away when one of them asked if I could do a portrait of their Corporal. "I'm not very good at Still Life" I said, which generally gets a laugh from people around.
The people around were laughing but I couldn't see for a large arm with 2 stripes on it had dragged me across the table by my throat and threatened to end my life there and then. I had the good sense to cry and whimper, which eased the situation and we parted best of friends, him clutching a free print and me clutching my privates.
Published: 24th May 2006 | Back to Watercolour Memories.
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