Editorial
Hello again, and a warm welcome to a few new subscribers who will be reading this for
the first time. For their benefit, just as background to what' s coming next, I operate
vintage penny machines at my arcade in Brighton, Mechanical Memories (from where
this magazine takes its name). I am open weekends and school holidays, and in last
month's magazine I reminded you all that I would be open during the half term week.
It was good to see a few of you, but unfortunately I missed three old friends who
decided to come down on the worst day of the week. The weather on the Wednesday
was absolutely atrocious: p***ing down with rain, cold, windy, totally miserable. Surely
no one would venture out on a day like that. Unfortunately, Graham Millard and
Maurice and Pat Felce did - all the way from Bedford, and of course, I was closed! The
train tickets were already booked, so I suppose there was little option but to go for it.
I'm really sorry I missed you all, particularly Maurice and Pat who were over from
Cyprus for a few weeks. I really thought that only a mug would go out on a day like that.
But here' s the twist: I was the forth mug! Yes, I drove all the way to Brighton in
the wind and the rain ... ... .. and then drove all the way home, in the wind and the rain.
The weather forecast was crap the previous evening, but when I checked it on the
Wednesday morning, it looked as if the rain might just clear the Southeast. So I took a
chance and set off for Brighton. It turned out to be a mistake! To cut a long story short, I
got to Brighton; the seafront was deserted; I drove around for a while and then went
home. If only I had known the three of you were there, at least we could have drowned
our sorrows with a few beers.
Anyway, the moral of the story is: the next time I encourage you all to come down
and see me in Brighton, make sure it' s not raining, because I won't be making the same
mistake again!
Until next time
All the best
Jerry
Front Cover picture: A 1960s postcard of a seaside amusement arcade (I can't
remember where - does anyone know)? At the front of the arcade, just below the second
E in amusement, can be seen an Ahrens Marathon Cycle Racer.
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