Over the years I've blagged my way into some pretty good places where I had no right to be. On Saturday night I was watching the England game in a pub in Hove when it all kicked off and the atmosphere after was not conducive to watching the second half. I walked to the next decent 'watering hole' and found it to be used for a private function - a wedding. Now I have to say this was infinately better than watching over your shoulder for a glass or knife but I felt that I 'didn't belong'.
This prompted me to think of the 'Greatest ever Blag'. Over the years I've managed to get into conferences, free hospitality bars etc. Several that spring to mind were bars reserved for 'home' fans at Watford and Notts County. It's a kinda' feeling of achievement to be standing where you're not supposed to be having a drink with the friendly natives.
However my best one to date has to be in 1989 in Key West Florida. I was in the middle of 'sociable' couple of weeks in the Sunshine State when I bumped into some guys from the Blue Ridge Mountains area of Kentucky. We proceeded to have drinking games as you do when you meet strangers and out to 'ave a larf'. It ended up with a challenge. By now we were not far from the port area and there are usually several cruise ships that ply the Caribbean tied up in port. The challenge was 'Who could get onboard the nearest cruise ship' to the bar from where we were setting the challenge. Didn't need asking twice. Their guy got stopped almost immediately trying to get through the security system. Using my 'best asset' my English accent, got me through three levels of security, blagging my way through and saying that I had left my passes on board the ship. This worked until I was about to board and I was stopped. I was still considered to have done the best but did not actually fulfil the task as I had not stepped on board.
This prompted me to think of the 'Greatest ever Blag'. Over the years I've managed to get into conferences, free hospitality bars etc. Several that spring to mind were bars reserved for 'home' fans at Watford and Notts County. It's a kinda' feeling of achievement to be standing where you're not supposed to be having a drink with the friendly natives.
However my best one to date has to be in 1989 in Key West Florida. I was in the middle of 'sociable' couple of weeks in the Sunshine State when I bumped into some guys from the Blue Ridge Mountains area of Kentucky. We proceeded to have drinking games as you do when you meet strangers and out to 'ave a larf'. It ended up with a challenge. By now we were not far from the port area and there are usually several cruise ships that ply the Caribbean tied up in port. The challenge was 'Who could get onboard the nearest cruise ship' to the bar from where we were setting the challenge. Didn't need asking twice. Their guy got stopped almost immediately trying to get through the security system. Using my 'best asset' my English accent, got me through three levels of security, blagging my way through and saying that I had left my passes on board the ship. This worked until I was about to board and I was stopped. I was still considered to have done the best but did not actually fulfil the task as I had not stepped on board.