Or least to give me a ring in my office.’
‘Right, sir. But he won’t be happy.’
‘Not my problem - just ring him will you?’
Patsy grinned at Todd as she picked up the phone to call Stumpy.
Stumpy was ‘in the pub’, reported his long suffering spouse, and you’d have to get to him quick or he’d be ‘off the plot’ pretty soon. Patsy rang the Mess and the steward got the errant pilot to the phone.
‘Sorry, mate, but I need to speak to you before tomorrow - about the Falklands Flypast. The Station Commander briefed us this afternoon and we need a plan of action.’
‘Can't it wait,’ wined Stumpy, ‘I’ve already had a couple of beers and I can’t really drive back to the squadron like this.’
Todd was not happy with this response and said so.
‘Great stuff, Stumpy, that’s really helpful. Thanks a lot. I suppose it will have to wait. But you are to be in tomorrow at 7am sharp. I want your input on a couple of things before I brief the rest of the team.’
Todd slammed the phone down and angrily started making a few notes for the following morning.
Meanwhile Stumpy returned to the bar amid a host of enquiries about his call.
‘Only the Exec. He wants me in at seven tomorrow to wipe his arse again. Well, he’ll be lucky. Met Brief is 8am and that’s when I’ll be in. He can get stuffed!’
***
Next morning Todd sat at the Operations desk on the squadron reading the Meteorology report for the days flying. He looked at his aircrew watch for the sixth or seventh time and started to realise, correctly, that Stumpy would not be turning up on time - as ordered.
Stumpy Stokes was starting to become a pain in the backside. He was starting to take advantage of Todd’s generous nature, which meant that Todd was doing more planning and preparation on the flying side of things than he wished. This was not why he had chosen Stumpy as his front-seater, and Stumpy was certainly now heading for a fall.
And Todd Morrissey was just the man to send him tumbling on his way!
***
‘Stumpy, my office, NOW!’
The grin rapidly disappeared from Stokes’ face as he chatted idly to the rest of the crews waiting in the squadron briefing room for the 0800 met brief. An uncomfortable silence temporarily fell over the room as the other Flight Commanders sitting in the front row looked at each other and exchanged silent looks of self-satisfaction. They all knew that the shit was going to hit the fan sooner or later, and sooner seemed to be on the cards. Only the boss stared straight ahead, glanced at his watch and waited patiently for the time hack in fifteen seconds. He would have a quiet word with Todd. He didn’t want anything to prejudice the flypast - and this had all the makings of a serious hitch.
Meanwhile Stumpy sloped up the corridor towards the Exec’s office preparing himself for the inevitable one-sided interview which would follow his arrival. He was almost tempted just to let it go - again - but no, this time he might just lay his cards on the table. Morrissey had used - and abused him, enough.
‘Come in Stumpy.’
Todd was fuming and he neglected to make the customary offer to take a seat. He didn’t want Stumpy at his ease or thinking he was going to
‘Right, sir. But he won’t be happy.’
‘Not my problem - just ring him will you?’
Patsy grinned at Todd as she picked up the phone to call Stumpy.
Stumpy was ‘in the pub’, reported his long suffering spouse, and you’d have to get to him quick or he’d be ‘off the plot’ pretty soon. Patsy rang the Mess and the steward got the errant pilot to the phone.
‘Sorry, mate, but I need to speak to you before tomorrow - about the Falklands Flypast. The Station Commander briefed us this afternoon and we need a plan of action.’
‘Can't it wait,’ wined Stumpy, ‘I’ve already had a couple of beers and I can’t really drive back to the squadron like this.’
Todd was not happy with this response and said so.
‘Great stuff, Stumpy, that’s really helpful. Thanks a lot. I suppose it will have to wait. But you are to be in tomorrow at 7am sharp. I want your input on a couple of things before I brief the rest of the team.’
Todd slammed the phone down and angrily started making a few notes for the following morning.
Meanwhile Stumpy returned to the bar amid a host of enquiries about his call.
‘Only the Exec. He wants me in at seven tomorrow to wipe his arse again. Well, he’ll be lucky. Met Brief is 8am and that’s when I’ll be in. He can get stuffed!’
***
Next morning Todd sat at the Operations desk on the squadron reading the Meteorology report for the days flying. He looked at his aircrew watch for the sixth or seventh time and started to realise, correctly, that Stumpy would not be turning up on time - as ordered.
Stumpy Stokes was starting to become a pain in the backside. He was starting to take advantage of Todd’s generous nature, which meant that Todd was doing more planning and preparation on the flying side of things than he wished. This was not why he had chosen Stumpy as his front-seater, and Stumpy was certainly now heading for a fall.
And Todd Morrissey was just the man to send him tumbling on his way!
***
‘Stumpy, my office, NOW!’
The grin rapidly disappeared from Stokes’ face as he chatted idly to the rest of the crews waiting in the squadron briefing room for the 0800 met brief. An uncomfortable silence temporarily fell over the room as the other Flight Commanders sitting in the front row looked at each other and exchanged silent looks of self-satisfaction. They all knew that the shit was going to hit the fan sooner or later, and sooner seemed to be on the cards. Only the boss stared straight ahead, glanced at his watch and waited patiently for the time hack in fifteen seconds. He would have a quiet word with Todd. He didn’t want anything to prejudice the flypast - and this had all the makings of a serious hitch.
Meanwhile Stumpy sloped up the corridor towards the Exec’s office preparing himself for the inevitable one-sided interview which would follow his arrival. He was almost tempted just to let it go - again - but no, this time he might just lay his cards on the table. Morrissey had used - and abused him, enough.
‘Come in Stumpy.’
Todd was fuming and he neglected to make the customary offer to take a seat. He didn’t want Stumpy at his ease or thinking he was going to
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