A Reluctant Conscript. 1944-48 Part 10

Miners are a complex mix - always able to find something to laugh about in most situations and at the same time being cynical. Despite being cut off from the outside world there was always some event or situation that caused amusement. News of football scores - horserace winners or jokes were circulated on their journey through the mine by messages chalked on the sides of empty tubs. If for instance you wanted to send a message to someone on the surface this was the way it was done. The unfortunate thing was that everyone else could read it. Sometimes this made it even more comical. News travelled very fast.
It was about this time that the Yorkshire lads began to ask me if I had ridden Dandy yet, my answer was NO,to which they replied "why not".
This made me think - I had never met anyone on the back road airway, so why not give it a try.
The next day I left the stables and tentativley climbed aboard. It was obvious that Dandy was quite used to being ridden and together we went slowly to T Unit. No amount of urging would make Dandy go any faster.
The shift finished and time to go. Dandy raised no objections to my getting on his back.
I had noticed on the trip to work that the girders supporting the roof were quite low in places, to be sure of clearing them when riding I had to lie flat on his back.
Dandy needed no urging and took off like the wind with me clinging to his mane with my head along side his neck, arriving minutes later still with my head intact.
No more walking!!!!!!!!!!!

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