“Does your dog speak Greek?”
and other tales from the Bollard

  

The newly rebuilt Toppled Bollard in Corby was recently home to the annual award ceremony for that august scientific newsletter, the Journal of Unsubstantiated Research and Knowledge (JURK). 

 

Guest of honour was John Prescott, who had been the subject of last year’s winning award which involved a practical demonstration of the mathematical constant omega-pi, which is  fundamental to the calculation of the total surface area of politicians of a certain size.  

This year’s top award went to an invention which translates dog barks into Greek.   Sadly, as none of us present was able to speak either dog or Greek, we were not able to test the accuracy of this machine.   But we were able to applaud the thought behind it and appreciate the exotic sounds that emanated both from Jack – the Bollard’s resident hound – and the electronics.  

Once the applause had died down we were on to the entertainment, and I believe everyone agreed this was an evening that belonged to Jack.   As the presentation podium was packed up for another year our favourite hound took centre stage with his master – resident publican and Elvis impersonator Donald O’Dougan.   Between them they regaled us with a collection of the King’s early works.     

Donald and Jack concluded this sublime performance with the stunning news (presented in both Greek and English) that, after years of false leads, Elvis Presley had at last been found and would soon be making his first new single in some 25 years.     

With baited breath we waited as Donald informed us he could now exclusively reveal the title of this much awaited record.  

Apparently it is “All Dug Up.”  

Best wishes,   

Tony Attwood  

PS:  Please don’t forget, if you would like to know what the one thing is that invariably raises response rates in direct mail, but which most people ignore, just call me on my direct line: 01536 399 013.   No charge.  No obligation.  No Elvis jokes.   Promise.