We arrived at Allen Park with no signs, no sign of the hare and no sign of a trail. Mastitis asked if we were in the right location and we decided it was as it was where Deeply set his last run.
Eventually a very quiet electric car arrived with Deeply driving.
At 6:00 PM Deeply called us to attention.
Deeply explained how he was shown by his father how to mark a run in the Malaysian Jungle. O for checks and X for go back to the last intersection (and don’t use the words ‘False Trail!’). He went on (and on) to explain that the trail was marked on the right, so look for chalk or flour on the right. Sometimes it wouldn’t be on the right, and we erroneously took that to mean it would be on the left, but no, sometimes the O was on the road in the centre of the intersection. The run would start on a trail leading up to Melon Hill. Deeply said shortcutters and walkers could start up the trail without going to the ‘No through Road’ that lead up to the trail.
Eventually we asked, ‘Can we go now?’.
The run was remarkably well set and there was flour and lots of chalk marking the trail. The seven runners almost outnumbered the walkers, and I counted about 19 or 20 hashers in total when we were standing around the fire after the run, err… what fire?
The views from Melon Hill were amazing with a bright red/orange sunset over the coast. A clever long downhill false trail had most of the runners finding the X. Back on the trail we descended back into the leafy Swanbourne streets after a clever X in Jones Park. The runners were reluctant to cross the bridge over West Coast Highway/Servetus Street, but the walkers indicated we should. We crossed back over West Coast Highway on to Knutsford Street.
A sneaky X on Walpole Street had us searching for trail but Soft Rock doubled back and found it on Cross Street and onto the oval for a quick sprint home where the walkers called us to run it in as they sat around the Claytons fire drinking their first beers.
Deeply manned the bar serving the large number of beers available on ice.
Pitt called us to the circle (with shouts of form a semi-circle). He complained of a lack of On Sec and then proceeded to be the said-On Sec. He told a great joke which I no longer recall. Pothole was given a down-down, Sir Tom welcomed back from his overseas adventures.
Mastitis had a down-down, Ramrod (referred to as Ramsy) for getting lost last week, Xmas couldn’t finish his down-down and Deeply nearly wore the dregs. Then Grizzly won the right to choose a card from the back but alas no Joker was found. He did get a bottle of wine donated by Elbows who won the last two raffles and also didn’t locate the evasive Joker. Ramrod advised the to pool is now $220.
Mastitis patiently listened to Deeply once again explain the concept of Noughts & Crosses and became rather animated and loud.
Chunda was invited to delve into the depths of Mastitis’ BBB (Big Ball Bag) and pulled out two 7’s.
The meal was hearty, plentiful and tasty. I can’t remember what it was called so I asked my AI app, and this was the response: –
The dish you’re describing — served from a pot, chicken, soup‑like, French‑sounding name — most likely matches one of three classic French chicken dishes. The strongest match is Poule au Pot. Other contenders…Pot‑au‑Feu (with chicken variation) or even Fricassée de Poulet. AI went on to say it could have been Blanquette de Poulet.
There was plenty for seconds.
The carpark emptied quickly and then there was only Xmas in the counting house counting out the money or in the bucket counting out the beers, Deeply seeing if he could assist and Bushie wondering why there was still a car next to the bucket when there were no more hashers to be seen. Was somebody still lost out there pondering the Noughts & Crosses?
Another great hashing night in Perth.
