CHAPTER 8 The First Spring

Most of the time at work, I got on well with my customers, but sometimes frustration would build to the point where I was concerned that it would not be long before I would hit one of them.

Rather than risk that, I would call my boss and tell him that I needed to take a half day of my annual leave at short notice. If he objected, I only had to mention the possible devastating effect that not agreeing, might have on his business for him to willingly comply.

I had a couple of close friends who could be relied on, to also take a break and join me. On these occasions I would almost skip out of the customer’s offices at lunch time and make my way across London, to a pub where I would meet Mark and Pete.

We would consume large quantities of beer, go for a slap up meal with wine and then visit more pubs for more beer. We would get to our respective homes late in the evening in a pretty sorry state. Luckily most of these occasions fell on a Friday, so Saturday could be spent recovering, with no negative impact on the customer’s project.

It was on one of these occasions in February 1990, that I persuaded Mark and Pete to accompany me to Frasquenet to help me decorate and to enjoy eating and drinking French style. Obviously I emphasised the latter activities rather than the former, so it was agreed subject to the approval of our respective spouses, that April would be the target month.

I devoted considerable time looking into flights and car hire. It didn’t take long to discover that at that time, a Fly/Drive deal to Toulouse offered much better value for money, than the ordinary flight to Montpellier with separate car hire, which I had used in December.

The tickets were purchased, the car was booked and April was soon upon us. We met at Seven pm one Wednesday evening at Heathrow Airport for the eight o'clock flight to Toulouse.

I volunteered to drive from Toulouse to Frasquenet that night, so while the others downed their pints of beer, in one of the airport bars, I restricted myself to lemonade, Coca Cola and mineral water.

The Air France flight was delayed by a little over an hour. This gave Mark and Pete more time to continue drinking. Once we were on the aeroplane that activity continued.

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