The very good old days

Barbados promises a hectic carnival jump-up this weekend in celebration of Sir Gary Sobers’s 70th birthday. I trust the island takes it easy on the literal backslapping of their favourite son. When the Queen knighted him at Bridgetown racecourse that heady day in 1975, the jubilations became too hearty even for the convivial new knight himself, so with the fireworks popping and the calypsos hammering on, the good fellow himself had to steal away unnoticed and duck for sanctuary into a dingy sidestreet bar. Outside, the celebrating son et lumière still raged but inside, nursing a beer, was just one Brit codger, alone on his winter break. Adjusting his eyes to the light, Gary recognised him. It was gnarled old trouper and English county umpire Tom Spencer. Oblivious of both the day and the din outside, matter-of-fact Tom greeted the cricketer, ‘’Ello, Gary lad, what are you doin’ w’ y’self these days?’
Sir Gary will chuckle as he remembers that this weekend.