h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

At primary school I was the head boy of Brooklyn Beckham (oldest son of David).

As a side consequence of wandering in on a language teacher I knew where David was going 6 weeks before the media caught on - I was sworn not to tell and when it came out publicly my family were shocked to hear that I'd held off saying anything for so long.

I'd have been straight down the bookies'.

One of my friends at primary school was premiership referee Rob Styles. I still can't believe this shortsighted kid who hated football would grow up to... oh, hang on.

Shortsighted football referees? I hope that's a short list.

We could well ask if anyone famous worked where you did? Harold Wilson

Well if we are getting into famous by association, my first band included a keyboard player called Ivor Drawmer. Check the rich bloke here and elsewhere on google. (other search engines also available)

http://www.psneurope.com/genius-9-ivor-drawmer-frequency-conscious-gate/

Back in about 1987 I was working at an outer London, British Leyland, main dealer garage as a Service Receptionist. He's the guy who takes customers cars in for servicing, progresses the job during the day, takes the money and hands the car back when it's finished. Some weeks before the day in question, one of my fellow receptionists had taken a cheque from a customer which was well above the value of the cheque card that had been used to secure it, and of course the cheque had bounced spectacularly while the owner disappeared leaving the garage in the hole for the value of the repair. This of course led to an inquiry and the riot act being read to all us receptionists and the assurance given that taking any cheque without a card to cover it would lead to Armageddon and dismissal.

On this particular day all of the garage management above my pay level had arranged themselves a 'jolly' with BL and weren't on site or contactable. During the late afternoon circumstances decreed that I should be the one to give back a well used, rather dishevelled Maestro that belonged to the mother of a gentleman who had come to collect. Rather oddly all the other reception staff were busy elsewhere and it fell to me to hand over the car which had been serviced and a couple of other jobs completed. I sat down with the gent to go through the work we'd done and a couple of items that would require attention in the future. He was really quite pleasant to talk to and clearly was listening intently to everything I said, and asking all the right questions. I showed him the fairly substantial invoice which was well above the value of any cheque card. He took out his cheque book and began writing.

I had of course recognised him. At that time it would have been hard not to. He was the instantly recognisable Quinton Hogg, then Lord Hailsham, one of the peers who some years before had renounced his peerage to be able to resume his career as a Member of Parliament in which he had had a colourful career in various offices. Frequently on television he was almost always forthright and bellicose.The big question for me was, was I going to refuse to take the cheque of the then Lord Chancellor of England, arguably only second in the hierarchy to the Queen.

It was quite clear that everyone in the office, staff and customers alike, were watching this exchange with half an eye on us. I could almost see the tabloid news headlines the next day if I refused him credit. Either way I knew I was going to have to answer for it... So I bottled it, took his cheque and handed his car over seamlessly. The following day there were no questions asked, only a few sheepish 'knowing' smiles and it seemed that I'd got away with it.

If his check cleared, then there was nothing to worry about, right?

Note to self: invent a time machine, become a professional Lord Hoailsham impersonator, travel back in time and buy a car. Perfect plan!

Or I could just win the lottery...

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