If it's October it must be Mornington Crescent

[MarkWithaC]

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Although of course MC is a game for all seasons, I do have especially fond memories of an October championships in Wales and extracurricular… fun amid the greenery of a National Trust garden.

If I've missed anyone I do apologise; do round up any players you happen to see or hear of.

And I'll start with a lovely little move that the Reverend taught me.
Finsbury Park

I noticed an incomplete name, which requires me to invoke the 1994 western protocol to prevent us having to move back to the move before, allowed because it was the second move and midweek.

I haven't seen the Major recently- has he taken a turn for the worse?

Northfields.

At lunch then curate seemed to inferior that the duchess had rather a lot on her plate at the moment. Not that I'm one to gossip. Tottenham hale

Well, the Duchess needs a distraction, I just didn't think she would be interested in anything the Major could offer, but there you go.

There was that incident four years ago, though, but it turned out to be gardening apparently.

A reverse shunt to Brixton.

Whisper it not, MyrtleStrumpet, but the Major is something of a cad and likely to offer a lady, and especially a duchess, whatever she most desires. Which in my case would be a diagonal reverse to

Bayswater

So no current news on the Major.

Warwick Avenue

Assuming we are portmanteau-ing on the Bakerloo because the Major is AWOL?

Stonebridge Park

The Duchess sent a telegram this morning. No sign of the Major in Tangiers. She has no idea where he is and is rather put out.

Holborn

Isn't that just like the Major? Reminds me of the occasion we'd agreed to meet me at the Contessa's palazzo for her annual hog roast and MC soirée but he failed to turn up. He said it was because the Maserati failed to start, but I later heard he'd slipped away to Caithness with an ingenue and several cases of Pol Roger. As I said, a cad.

Kensington High Street

I missed that hog roast too. I heard it got rather interesting towards the end, when the WI deputy chair turned up with her Swedish 'pen pal' in tow and a fair few bottles of aquavit, and the two of them proceeded to try to convince everyone that the taking of shots only enhances play. Apparently it did go OK until the pen pal, somewhat in his cups, played a Downwind Sitwell on the Victoria line (I know). I shall draw a veil over what I was told happened after that.
Pinner

Indeed. The Contessa likes to pretend she keeps the gathering small to maintain its exclusivity and keep out the riff-raff, but the reality is that those bearing the bodily and emotional scars of previous soirées now decline to attend.

Putney Bridge

Speaking of whom, has anyone heard from Maud recently? I find it a little worrying that she's so willing to miss all this, especially given her involvement with the 2017 update to Bascombe's Rules, which many of us are clearly inspired by these past couple of games.
In that spirit, I'll play an Eighth to Kilburn Park in hopes that it might tempt her back.

I'm in regular touch with Maud. She sends her very kindest regards, Marc, but asks you now please to repay that very large debt you've owed her since she stood bail for you in Helsinki. Either that or she sells the story to the gutter press.

Knightsbridge

I've never set foot in Helsinki in my puff, and I know you know that Maud Gertrude.

Upton Park, perpendicular.

I knew it! Gertrude knows far too much about the Major for this to be a coincidence!

I'll take a helter-skelter to Cockfosters.

Good evening! Tangiers was exciting! The duchess was able to find a something to occupy her time despite the Major's desertion. Her Grace's daily tennis lessons were clearly exhausting, she was often quite out of breath and flushed after a session with the coach, then he'd have to escort her to her suite for the afternoon. Such a caring young man. Lovely calves.

Waterloo

Oh I do appreciate a lovely set of calves. Anyway I digress. A Hutchinson slide to Baker street

I do love a Hutchinson slide. What a lovely young man to be so kind to the Duchess.

I'm taking a Harrington twist to Vauxhall.

No, no, no. I am not Maud, but we were both presented at Court as debutantes in '34 and have been attending MC tournaments together ever since, so naturally we are close friends.

Pimlico

I've heard tell of that coach. Apparently his massages are nothing short of miraculous. I think the undersecretary said miraculous, anyway, but he was fairly out of breath.
Tooting

Use of the National Rail rule to return nearer to the Thames at Vauxhall.

I've been absent just a day or so and this is the quality of news I miss! Delighted to hear the Duchess enjoyed Tangiers. Mightily impressed by the quality of the Hutchinson slide.

Richmond.

Paddington. just because 😀

Well, if we're using the Popular Culture Concordat,

Waterloo

If it's popular culture you desire, then how about

Grange Hill?

Plenty of culture at Barbican.