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| Bristow's Leisure | |||
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The Chester-Perry Co |
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Constantly battling against apathy and
cynicism, the Sports and Social Club does its best to make life at C-Ps’
worth living. Every year the members of its committee face a barrage
of criticism at the annual general meeting; were it not for Toady Thompson
the traditional call for a vote of thanks to retiring officials would
be met with stony silence from the massed ranks of hostile clerks -
strip
2861
.
Perhaps a reason for the hostility is that each year the meeting cannot start until there is a quorum. Ranges of tricks are employed to bring members into the room. One year it may be trails of coins (followed by Atkins of Accounts), trails of sawdust (followed by the carpenter) and trails of pins (followed by Bristow); another year detour signs are placed in the corridors forcing the departing clerks into a one-way system that leads to the meeting room. The Sports side is not noted for its achievements. One year there is only member active in Judo, Karate and Weightlifting. The AGM votes to close them down - unfortunately no-one volunteers to be the person to break the bad news to the sole member who is working out in the gym at that moment. (Not too surprising really, seeing as that man happens to be Muscles Maddox the firm's bully). Aside from the Dinner & Dance (see below) the Social Club tries to put on various festivities. Things are livened up when one of the waitresses - Dolly "Fun Fun" White becomes president. She plans a Halloween rave up, a Christmas Caper, a New Year Knees up, a Valentine day thrash...and many more. The Halloween party (which is a life-saver for Bodega Brothers) is ruined when a drunken hobgoblin abuses the barman, jeers at the assembly, throws wine over the M.C. and attacks the band with a witches broomstick. Bristow remarks thoughtfully "I didn't know Peterson of Public Relations was interested in the supernatural ". It seems likely that the rest of Dolly's imaginative programme vanished under a welter of apathy because little more is heard of it. The Annual Christmas Dinner & Dance Although the club organises a number
of sporting activities these are poorly attended. The main event of
the year is the Annual Christmas Dinner & Dance. The committee has
a varying degree of committment to the Dance and goes through with it
despite their true feelings shown in strip
5538.
The committee also has an interesting set of priorities. If Sir
Reginald is unable to attend, and his family also decline, the guest
of honour will be "old man" Pettigrew or some other director
but should they too be unexpectedly engaged, the choice of top table
guests is obvious - strip
4788
This glittering occasion is eagerly anticipated by the girls in the typing pool (in case Robin Chester- Perry should attend) and regarded with weary resignation by everyone else. If Bristow is keen to sell tickets then the reason will be that if he sells enough he doesn't have to go. There are several important traditions: ![]() strip 4790 Speech time at the Christmas Dinner & Dance
In the good old days the Dinner & Dance took
place in a function hall but since the mid 1960s it has been held in
the firm’s canteen. This is either because Peterson of Public Relations
was so rude to the management of the local halls that no-one will take
a C-P booking or because, thanks to Hickford's
incompetence, Gun & Fames have got there
first . "Why stop there" argues Bristow in strip
1823
A wonderful example of the relationship between staff and bosses comes one year when after the formal toasts the attendees are invited to cross toast. Bristow toasts all those involved with order 4272406 and everyone in the hall rises - except those on the top table " Is there something we don’t know?". Miss Sunman gets particularly excited about the Dinner & Dance. She always hopes that something romantic will ensue. It never does. In fact it is unclear if anyone ever gets off with anybody at this event. Certainly Bristow fails to. And judging by his treament of the post boy, this fashionable youngster fails to as well
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