A friend of mine asked me " Did you ever meet Winston Churchill?"

I hesitated " well sort of " and I explained.

 

During WW2 I was in London awaiting a transfer to another ship.

Service men could get free tickets to just about anything. Live shows, Cinemas, restaurants, and to the clubs where they could see, and meet stars, and entertainers. Who would invariably, put on an impromptu show.

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Myself and a couple of shipmates, managed to get tickets for a free lunch, at the Savoy Hotel, that's where all the posh folks go.

 

We had just been served soup, when a commotion broke out. Everybody, including ourselves stood up., It turned out to be Winston Churchill, and his entourage, entering the dining room.

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He passed by, only a few feet away from me, sporting his usual cigar, obviously, on his way to a private room.

The commotion over, everyone sat down. I leaned forward, and lowered myself into my chair, only to find my tie immersed in my soup, accompanied by raucous laughter from my shipmates, bringing my dilemma to the attention of all the other diner’s.

 

Being the Savoy, a couple of immaculately dressed waiters, rushed over, with a bowl of water, to rinse out my tie and serve me with a fresh bowl of soup, to quickly get things back, to the quiet sophisticated atmosphere of the Savoy.

 

The image of Winston Churchill, walking passed me, is still vivid in my memory to this day.

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