Thanks again to David the ex Thomson rep, our resident story teller!
It’s the Thomson man again.
This month’s story!!! WHO SHOT THE DRIVER?
Being a rep was fun but there were drawbacks and one of them was having to take a coach nearly every week to the BBQ.
The first 10 weeks were ok but the fun wears off watching people be sick and you having to remain in some decent state having to hunt down the “Out for the count” no shows on the coach at the end of the evening.
Well this week was the same as any other, the BBQ was over and hundreds of people were searching for their particular numbered coach from the 17 parked together.
The drivers always stood by the doors to give out plastic bags to those who for sure weren’t going to make it back to Lloret without being sick and try to ensure the right hotels got on the right coaches while the reps rounded up the bodies in corners!!
This night one of the drivers knew the man accompanying this rather drunk young lady was Spanish and had not come on the coach. As the coach was completely full he told the young Spanish guy he couldn’t get on, after a short confrontation the Spanish guy said he was Guardia Civil and flashed his badge, the driver said it didn’t matter the coach was full and he couldn’t get on. The Guardia was obviously on a promise and he really kicked off, the driver ended up physically ejecting him from the coach when the Guardia produced a pistol and shot the driver.
Well you’ve heard the expression “Stuff hitting the fan” that was nothing to what then ensued, the Spanish guy ran off, the other drivers dropped everything trying to help their colleague and some hunting for the Spanish Guardia, singing on the buses had stopped dead and eventually 17 rather quiet coaches went back to their resorts many to Lloret.
THE OUTCOME.... The Guardia disappeared as he was instantly transferred down south, so they said, the driver spent some time in hospital but was able to return to work a long time later, most driver from Pujol coach company drove around with the Guardia photo on their dashboard threating all sorts. I did bump into, several years later one of the drivers in Malaga and asked about the incident and he said they never did find the Guardia, the driver was ok still able to work albeit reduced distances. This of course was in the mid 70s when Franco was in power and the Guardia were all powerful.
More later if you liked it?
Regards David