In a Car on The Trip
A chilly early 1987 morning, 7th March,
five booze cruise boys crammed in a car.
From overnight ferry, just disembarked
when told of the Zebrugge ferry disaster.
Hands freeze on the steering wheel,
as the driver recalls what we now all see.
In a queue, a last minute change he did feel.
All had agreed to travel on The Herald of Free.
"Let's go from Dover for a change", I suggest
All agreed they wanted to see Zebrugge
In the travel shop, our driver felt his unrest
"Portsmouth is a shorter drive back" thought the daft bugger.
And so yet again to Le Havre we went.
Oh on the trip, he got some stick all right.
But in the car I pat him on the back, "mate, you were heaven sent,
we all should have died last night!"
Reflections for Contest
hungover, in car tinkling with duty free bottles. It didn't really sink in (pun intended). Had he stuck to the plan we would have been on the Herald of Free Enterprise departing Zebrugge on the night of March 6, 1987.
His later recollection was that in queuing in the travel agent shop, (no internet or smartphones back then) he visualised extra driving from Dover, instead of Portsmouth, back to Taunton. And so "sod them, I've got to put up with these piss artists, so they'll have to put up with Le Havre again."
We never really appreciated the significance at the time, nor did the friendships last as we drifted apart thereafter.
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