Alex was in a MOOD! It was Friday night, it was busy, with the whole of the Immervioulin caravan park in for a meal, and the hotel was full, and I was of course again the bally slaansak for Alex, him taking out all his frustations on me, as I was the closest! Rosanne did come in for a while, but then decided that Alex was coping fine with me as his assistent, and legged it to the pub, where all her friends were assembled. At that stage I could already see that Rosanne was tired of the kitchen, and I later heard from a few other pub owners that six to seven years were the limit for owning and running a pub. I could readily believe it, as it meant long, long hours, and hard work.
I was just too slow for Alex on this night, and as he had taken out the metal plate that he usually wore instead of  false front teeth, understanding him was indeed difficult without a bit of lip reading. The result was that I kept on asking him to repeat his requests, at which I then stand directly in front of him, watching his toothless mouth, and he got so uptight that he threw a bally plastic container with a piece of steak pie that had to be warmed up at me, shouting at the top of his voice that he could not abide bloody f.....g fools, at which Joe and Rosanne came running in, Alex's voice of course being heard all through the hotel, and I told Joe that I refused to work further with Alex unless he put his plate back in his mouth, as I could not make out anything he was saying!
Rosanne then stayed for a while, and when she thought it prudent, she returned to her friends, leaving me with the scowling Alex, who had put the plate back, not with good grace however, as he said it hurt him.
All ended well however, and afterwards Alex begged my pardon sincerely, but as by now I knew how nerve wracking the busy times were, and also that it wasn't personal, I forgave him readily, and he said that he would take me pub crawling the next night after work to make up for him being such a boar!
I was quite looking forward to that, as I never got a chance to really go to the other hotels, and I knew there was live music on at the Ben Shaenn, and that usually meant dancing till early morning. We started at the Munro, and I did not think it a good set-up, as it was quite dirty and the people having their drinks there, a strange lot indeed! But under Alex's watchful eyes I drank the two reds he bought me, sure that I could be strong enough against him not to have many more.
We then went to the Ben Shaenn, where he bought me another drink, but as the live band was playing some nice and jolly tunes, I danced a lot with a lot of different people, Alex watching me with a Fatherly eye. In the end I had three more wines, and was feeling a wee bit giddy, when he said that we would now proceed to our own hotel.
He bought me yet another drink, believing as all Scots do, that buying someone a drink was the best of deeds ever, but as I was not feeling so well and feetfast anymore, I sipped it very slowly, feeling like only my bed could be of any consolation now! That is when my young toyboy walked in with a group of his friends, and immediately he came over to me, and he put his arm around my waist, telling me in a alcohol influenced voice that I have a fantastic body! As I never thought of my quite out of proportion body, small breasted, small hipped and wide thighed, as fantastic, I wallowed in this praise, and all Alex's efforts to save me from this dangerous situation fell on deaf ears. When Joe put on his favorite dance music, I was coerced until I took to the floor in the strong arms of my young beau, and he held me very close, and  kissed me in my neck, and I loved his attentions, my sense of judgement at that stage just about nil!
Poor Alex was in a state, trying to get me to go to my bed, as he was partly responsible for my being so sloshed, but I was floating in a cloud of alcoholic bliss, and told him not to be a bloody spoilsport, at which he sat at the counter, watching me with falcon eyes, a worried look on his face!