Page 24
Call Sign July 2011
Former Dial-a-Cab driver, Bob Woodford, writes a regular column for Call Sign from his home in
Languedoc, France...
CALL SIGN EN LA BELLE FRANCE
`Donald, where's yer
I was laughing as I told him that my
$28 pair of Ralph Laurens bought in
troosers?'
Macy's sale two Novembers ago were not
I bet there are lots of Call Sign readers
only a size or three too small for him, but
out there who can remember that song,
they were also staying on the hanger!
expertly sung by Glaswegian Andy
Needless to say my clock continued to
Stewart (1933-1993). Younger cabbies
run all the way back to SW11 so that
will be more familiar with his actor-son
`Donald' (and that could well be his
Ewan Stewart whose film and TV credits
name for all I know) could put on a 3rd
include Rob Roy, Titanic and Only Fools
pair of strides in an hour before returning
and Horses.
to his nightclub. As he went off into the
Anyway, back to the trousers the
returned from a week long holiday on the
night having weighed me in with £79
lyrics of that legendary ditty includes the
Isle of Mull to do a long weekend shift in
(exactly), I decided there and then to
line Well I've just come down from the
the saddle before heading off back to
download Andy Stewart's classic from
Isle of Skye. Well in reality I had just
France.
iTunes to my iPhone... that cost just 79p!
My Friday night hero, after driving with-
out a job from Southfields Station, flagged
Where's Woody?
Views on life as seen through the
me down outside the Trafalgar Arms in
eyes of David Kupler (Y74) at...
Do you know which part of the City
King's Road:
Bob Woodford was passing when he
Kupkake's
"Can you take me to Battersea Square
snapped this saucy little note? The
please driver and then on to Annabel's?"
answer is on page 31...
Korner
My certainly guv'nor was said in our
time-honoured and expected fashion, while
at the same time assuming that my latest
punter would need to change from his
Remembering winter 2010
`casual' dress sense that seemed more fair
game for a pint and a fag outside a pub in
It felt so quiet
Chelsea rather than an upmarket Mayfair
I could hear the snow,
club. But - and surprise, surprise (and I
falling, falling
might be a little old school about these
no place to go.
things) - when he emerged from his apart-
In the distance
ment on the river side of Lombard Road, I
I heard the fox call
could have sworn he had changed from his
heralding winter
jeans into, er, jeans! I then considered the
from a churchyard wall.
fact that maybe Mayfair standards had
dropped alarmingly as we made our way
As I walked
from Valiant House to 44 Berkeley Square
into the pristine white,
while discussing the merits of England
I was the only human
wrapping up the 2nd Test against Sri Lanka.
out that night.
Well, well - and I'm relieved to say that
My dog trotting at my right
after a 10 minute dispute with the door-
staying close
man on the street outside that separated
lead pulled tight.
Bob Woodford (Ex-P49)
the nearside of my TX2 and the entrance to
Saint Genies de Fontedit,
the club - my punter was told in no uncer-
Beneath my feet
tain terms that gentlemen members MUST
Languedoc, France
the pavement creaked,
wear a suit or jacket AND tailored trousers
frozen stiff
to go inside "...and if I say you are wearing
deprived of heat.
Call Sign
denim SIR, then take it from me, you are
And the snow still fell
wearing denim!"
July 2011
and filled our tracks
With the meter still running, I must admit
lay on my shoulders
Editor: Alan Fisher
I found it difficult to concentrate on read-
Address: 39 47 East Rd, London N1 6AH
...and on my hat.
ing my most recent issue of Call Sign as I
Tel: 0207 251 0581 Fax: 0207 553 7293
listened to the pair of them sounding off,
Under a car
Email: callsignmag@aol.com
Website: www.dac-callsign.co.uk
and it was after some time that Mister
a homeless cat,
Printers: Premier Print Group
Denim caught sight of the pair of trousers
sought shelter from
25 31 Violet Rd, London E3
and jacket that I had on a coat hanger in
the thick snow mat.
Design: Aldan Publications
the luggage department (I had been guid-
Probably hungry
Tel: 07958 300 428
ing some pre-booked tourists earlier that
he wasn't fat
Email: danny.fresco@dsl.pipex.com
day before changing into night shift mode).
Views and opinion expressed in Call Sign must
just peering as we
"Cabbie, looks like my problems are
not be assumed to represent those of the Editor or
headed back...
Board.No part of Call Sign may be reproduced
over! How much can I offer you for your
either manually or electronically without the express
Kopyright Kupkake 2011
trousers?"
permission of the Editor.
