Ruby’s friend thought it was sweet when her three-year-old son took such an interest in a poppy seller and asked if he could have one.
After putting his coins in the collection tub, her little boy said “thank you” politely as a poppy was pinned to his coat but continued to look a little expectant.
Ruby’s friend led him away and it was only then she realised it wasn’t the poppies themselves but the little wooden crosses that had caught his attention and for all the wrong reasons. “Oww,” he said. “I didn’t get one of those swords.”
Following Ruby’s request for information about the banner in Broad Street telling us not to call a particular phone number, a correspondent signing herself Chrissie Lights (no, we’re not convinced that’s her real name either), writes: “Hi there Ruby. Don’t worry about the mystery banner... it’s not a phone scam.
“All will become clear at the King’s Lynn Christmas lights switch on.” Ruby’s sources tell her that’s on November 29.
Ruby was not amused when she walked out of the Lynn News offices last week to find a guide dog whose owner, and her all-seeing daughter, had guided him into ‘doing his business’ right outside the door where people would be walking.
After then walking out of the doors, Ruby spotted another dog-walker making a pit stop with her pooch. She was left wondering whether there is something about the Lynn News offices that encourages such behaviour!
Risking the wrath of Ruby’s official bête noire Blackie Allan, regular correspondent George Chappell spotted this gem.
“Shopping in Sainsbury’s in King’s Lynn I came to the energy drinks section. Each of the cans had one of the yellow security stickers on the side of the can.
The wording on the sticker...please remove all packaging before MICROWAVING.” Ruby awaits the explosions.
Staying with shopping, a reader reports some ghostly goings-on in the run-up to Hallowe’en in Marks and Spencer.
Ruby has been asked not to reveal her source for this one, as she doesn’t want to be banned from the store. But our correspondent writes: “I was surprised and amused to learn – via the tannoy system – that they had “spooky” biscuits on sale including “skelingtons”. Is this a new breed of bony friend do you think?” Altogether now – these are not just Hallowe’en biscuits.
Curses, Blackie Allan, among others, caught us out with a rather glaring error in our From Our Files section in All Our Yesterdays a week or two back. Our reporter thought an article in the paper 10 years ago was a contemporary report rather than looking back to something that happened in 1957. Therefore we rather improbably reported that Alec Guinness was making a film in Hunstanton, some two years after his death.
BBC Radio 2 listeners in Lynn were chuckling over their cornflakes on Thursday morning.
Chris Evans, broadcasting to more than nine million listeners on his Breakfast Show, read out a message from a Lynn listener before crying “King’s Lynn? King’s Lynn! That’s further than Australia!”
Regular readers of the Wensum column on all matters Fakenham will know that our man over there has recently spent a couple of weeks taking a well-earned break in the United States.
Fortunately, before the arrival of superstorm Sandy, he was safely back at home, where an acquaintance of his commented: “I hope you didn’t get caught up in that torpedo.”
Ruby is, of course, always pleased to see the Linnets doing well, though she couldn’t help wondering what the trophy was for the club’s recent Jungledrum Fair Play award.
While we’re on the subject of football, it hasn’t a great week for referee Mark Clattenburg, who finds himself the centre of a race storm following the Chelsea v Manchester United game.
But he is also not too popular with a certain member of our staff here at the Lynn News, who incidentally is not a Chelsea fan. His gripe is over United’s late winning goal, which was plainly offside and gave them a 3-2 victory.
That rather spoiled his accumulator on that Sunday’s Premier League games, Spurs to win 2-1 at Southampton, Liverpool and Everton to draw 2-2, Newcastle to beat West Brom 2-1 - all of which came to pass - and Chelsea and Manchester United to draw 2-2.
If it hadn’t have been for that late goal then he would have been in for more than £10,000. But, as a clean-living, non-gambling girl, Ruby knows he would have avoided such crushing disappointment by keeping his money in his pocket.
Given that today’s American presidential election – a poll that none of us actually has a say in – has been getting infinitely more publicity than one that actually affects us, Ruby was encouraged to see around 50 people turn out for the Police and Crime Commissioner hustings in Lynn on Thursday – even if the attendances of the candidates was a bit of an issue.
UKIP candidate Matthew Smith used his having to travel from Gorleston to explain his late arrival, while independent hopeful Stephen Bett was said to be stuck on the M25 at the start of the meeting and eventually arrived midway through.
Ruby wonders how many people might just be a bit “late” heading to the polling station next Thursday.
And finally, Lucy was to be found hiding in the background of the First Days feature on page 39 of last week’s Tuesday Lynn News, with children from Gaywood Primary School.
She was spotted by Mrs D Gamble, of Sporle. She wins £10. Well done!
Lucy is again in one of the pictures in our 48-page paper today. Spot her, cut the picture out and send it with your name and address to Lynn News Lucy, Lynn News, Purfleet Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1HL. Happy hunting.
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