Humble Pie

Tomorrow marks the anniversary of Ronald Reagan advocating an international ban on the use of chemical weapons. He called for the ban on this day in 1984 and it would be interesting to know what he would have thought of the Gulf War mark II fought on the premise of said chemical weapons.

That said, Reagan was an interesting character. For people of my generation the 1980s was a decade dominated by the Iron Lady over here and the film star over there. Reagan had an enduring charisma. No intellectual he. His prowess came in the delivery of his announcements - he knew how to work his audience. With his grounding in Hollywood, he had received arguably the best training for the biggest job on the block. Many anecdotes still do the rounds regarding Ronnie but I would like to share my favourite with you. Like all such stories, there is little way of verifying its authenticity but I prefer to believe its true simply because it ought to be.

On this particular day, Ronnie was visiting an Old Folks home in Texas and came upon a quiet little old lady sitting in the corner. Never one to miss out on the photo opportunity, Ronnie asked her, "Hi, do you know who I am?". Without batting an eye-lid she replied, "No, but if you go to reception, they'll help you".

There's nothing quite like being put in our place and it probably does us good from time to time if only to keep us in check. What I love about this story is that even the President of the USA isn't too big to be brought down a peg or two. Doubtless, such a conversation would be less likely to take place today in an increasingly media-savvy world. I say that, but it always does to remember that the microphone might still be switched on even if you wish it wasn't. For proof of the latter, nobody can have more cringeworthy recollections than Gordon Brown during his last election campaign.  That "bigoted woman" must haunt him even now..

Sometimes we all say things we regret but the trick is to move on with a smile and seek not to repeat the faux pas in the future. I can remember all too vividly attempting to make polite conversation with the wife of a player in the local cricket team after one of our matches. Not having seen her for a long time, I noticed immediately the tell-tale bump showing and, with a twinkle in my eye, asked her when the baby was due. Her reply will stay with me, "Oh I'm not pregnant, I'm just fat". There's really not a lot you can say to that is there?