Tuesday 15 March 2011

What A Balls Up

Let me set the scene for you.  Last Saturday, In a shopping centre in Perth the management decided their contribution towards Comic Relief would include filling an Alfa Romeo MiTo with thousands of red pool balls for a 'Guess How Many Balls are in the Car'.

As part of health and safety requirements the car battery was disconnected.  It wasn't until the car had been filled with balls that they discovered the passenger door hadn't been locked.  By that time the lever to open the bonnet and reconnect the battery was buried deep in the car under all the balls, so it was decided to tape up the door handle to secure it.

Management: "We didn't think for one minute anyone would try to open the car". What they should have said: 'We didn't think and we ought to know, at our age, that an unattended car should have locked doors'.  What I can't understand is why they couldn't lock the door manually with the key; my car can be locked in that manner should the remote fail.

However, one smart wee lad decided he would try to count the bonny red balls.



The wee lad's mother appears to be the woman in the beige anorak.  He'll not forget this in a hurray because he must have had quite a scare, from the noise of the balls hitting the floor if nothing else, even though witnesses were roaring with laughter.

If you look closely you'll notice a few youngsters helping themselves to a 'souvenir'.  I trust this was noticed by management and the ball numbers amended accordingly, but somehow I doubt it.

15 comments:

Richard said...

Proves that Comic Relief if a load of balls anyway.

Oldrightie said...

I doubt comic relief will be of much succour to the Japanese people, somehow. As for the balls up, they are all red after all!

subrosa said...

I should think it cost more to set it up than they gained by income Richard.

subrosa said...

I've certainly never heard of any money going to those really in need OR.

Crinkly & Ragged Arsed Philosophers said...

Now if it was Ed Balls I would have said four was the maximum.

Next question -How many twits can you get into Westminster?

subrosa said...

Answer - 646 currently Crinkly.

Crinkly & Ragged Arsed Philosophers said...

SR - Come, come Rosa, you forgot the Upper House.

Brian said...

What a wonderful piece of innocent fun. When I was that age I would have done exactly the same as that lad and my Mum would have reacted just like his Mum.
Full marks to the St John's Centre in Perth for putting the video on their website. I hope they invite the lad to turn on their Christmas lights.

subrosa said...

I hold my hands up in shame Crinkly. How could I forget such a parcel of rogues.

subrosa said...

I'd like to think they met up with the lad and explained it was their fault not his, wouldn't you Brian?

Unknown said...

Hands up: I'm responding on behalf of the shopping centre.

Just to clarify: the car door did not have a key but one of those terribly fancy electronic thingumyjigs that only work when the car battery is connected.

Love the idea about inviting him to the switch on of the Christmas lights!

The young chappy and his Mum made off so quickly that no-one got a chance to speak to them amidst all the chaos. They have been in touch following the publicity in the last couple of days. The culprit was only 3 years old. Bless.

Unknown said...

Oh - and we had to empty the car of balls and recount every single one of them on Monday night.... as you say a few folk helped themselves to souvenirs!

Crinkly & Ragged Arsed Philosophers said...

Well done volpagirl - can you gives the number and diameter of the balls so I can work out if the cars volume would suit me?

Unknown said...

Haha! Nice try... You won't get the number out of me that easily.

However I can tell you that two years ago we managed to fill TWO smaller cars with roughly the same number of balls - so it's fairly roomy :-)

subrosa said...

Volpagirl, thanks so much for taking the trouble to comment. I never visit the town on Saturdays so missed all the fun.

Ah, someone told me about these new 'keys' this morning. You can now point out the stupidity of them to the car makers. :)

Poor wee soul, he must have got a real fright. We musn't subdue children's curiosity. He could be a future scientist.

I'll come to the switching on of the lights if he's the 'celeb'.

Well done for doing a recount. I retract my doubts.

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