May 4th 2003

I'm a big fan of Arthur Bickerton. He owns an ironmongers shop in Taffs Well near Cardiff. Actually, it is more like Aladin's cave than a shop. Sadly, Arthur announced his retirement the other day. He's 90 years old. He's decided to devote the rest of his life to his main love...making bow ties. I visited his shop last Friday to wish him the best. There was another customer just before me in the queue. He was complaining. The conversation went like this. "You remember those gas mantle glasses that you sold me the other day? Well, I put them onto the fitting, and as soon as I lit the gas, the glass shattered."

"Well, you should have known better than that, " answered Arthur. "You should have known that you always turn the gas on low first of all, otherwise the glass will always shatter."

"Oh my God," thought I......."I've stumbled through a time warp!"