One of the hardest things for me to do when I was the editor of the Thursday Scene was to record the passing of a friend and colleague of the club.

 

As I am no longer the editor I still would like to write something about Dennis and remember him as he was before his illness.

 

Jim has already told you how he and his brother Maurice started cycling. In the past Dennis would supply me with articles and poems for the scene.
He had a great sense of humour and always had a joke to tell.

 

He was a regular competitor in the Yorks Vets’ events, rode in many open and club events, and partnered Barry on a tandem breaking the club’s Hull-Scarborough-Hull record during 1982.

 

He also liked participating in the club’s Boxing Day fancy dress ’10’ – this he did wholeheartedly. Sadly, this event is no longer with us, but it was good family occasion some of the outfits were really great. I must add that some of our members did not prepare their costumes till after their Christmas Dinner. There’s many an elder member who retreated to their shed after dinner I think it was an excuse to get out of the washing up.

 

There was never a dull moment at the committee meetings when Dennis was president, and Maurice, his brother, who was then club secretary. It was like that TV programme ‘Live at the Apollo’ – they were hilarious. My ‘Scene’ reports added to the evenings’ entertainment.

 

I recall when we had the meetings at Broad Highway on Willerby road. The committee meetings coincided with the Country and Western evening. On those occasions I think the agenda was rushed through so that we could join the fans at the bar. All the fans dressed for the occasion. Ladies in bonnets and long dresses, men in cowboy gear, complete with revolvers, which they would fire into the air. They gave a terrific bang, and smoke would hover over their heads for a moment. This was a little off-putting when we first heard them.

 

Then, of course, they would shout “Ye Ha!” or words to that effect. I’m sure that if we decided to join in and dress up I bet Dennis would have been the first to agree, and no doubt turning up dressed as a saloon girl or a ranch hand.

 

One particular evening when we were standing at the bar a chap came over to the bar and ordered a drink. He was dressed all in black – black Stetson, black cowboy boots and pearl-handled revolvers. A mean-looking gunslinger indeed. He turned and spoke to Laurie Chesney, “Is your dad’s chip shop open tonight?” That did it. We couldn’t contain our mirth that started the ball rolling. I think someone asked “Do they have a fish and chip shop in Dodge City?”

 

I must point out that Laurie’s dad had a fish and chip shop down Albert Avenue at that time. There was never a dull moment in those days at the committee meetings.

 

Most of us who used to go on the Malham training weekends and the social weekend in November will recall the Malham tapestry caption competition. Dennis always to the fore would join in enthusiastically, and some of the captions were gems.

 

I’m sure that other clubmates will have memories of Dennis, for me a clubmate and friend who was on my wavelength, who could see the funny side of everything and, as I said before, had a huge sense of humour, and always had a joke to tell.

 

As I mentioned earlier, if someone in the club did anything which he thought was on the funny side he’d come up with a poem. So I will close with this poem Dennis wrote about big G, When Graeme wired his bungalow up for the telephone.

 

ADDICTED TO THE PHONE

 

Heavy smokers still abound, snuff is back again,
There are folk who like sniffing glue – others take cocaine,
Many such addictions beset in our homes,
But not the Family Forester – they’re all hooked on phones!

 

When Beryl moved with Graeme to their new bungalow,
The other Thursday members moaned – it was so far to go,
So when G wired their new home abode he left some wires spare,
To take a phone extension. And now they’re everywhere!

 

So if you ring the Foresters with a message ’bout the club,
There’s every possibility they’ll answer from the pub,
The other night I rang them late (I thought they’d be in bed)
But Graeme said “Don’t worry. I’m answering from the shed!”

 

There’s a telephone in every room, they’re festooned on the walls,
They’ve got one in the washer (so they don’t get dirty calls),
And if they ever get a dog to guard their stately home,
Its kennel won’t be up to much but I bet it’s got a phone!

 

They’ve got one in the micro wave. The fridge has got one too,
They take calls in the green house and even in the loo,
But Graeme has another scheme (which he feels sure you’ll like)
He’s working out a system to put one on his bike!

 

Post script

 

If you ever go through Skidby when returning from a ride,
The Foresters live at the end one with a Telecom Van outside,
Don’t be fooled by Stewart’s Band they’ll tell you that it’s theirs,
It’s just a ruse by Graeme to boost his BT shares!

 

Dennis Hunter
Thursday ‘Scene’ 1985

Ron Nozedar