Gig Nightmare - I was left all alone on an Island

 Back in the day we took a three day gig up in the Orkney Islands for an American Oil Company called Dowell Schlumberger. There were 3 bands. We took a boat part way and did a gig on the boat for passage as part of the deal. There was a pole in the middle of the stage and we thought what a strange place to put a pole.....after we got underway in the North Sea I got really sea sick...and when it was time for the show I was glad the pole was there because we were rockin all over the place. ( and no it wasn't a pole for anything other than holding on to hahhaha )

 Next day we were flown in a Cessna plane to Orkney, I got to sit next to the pilot and when we were up in the air he let me take the controls for a little bit over Loch Ness, that was fun!  We arrived at the Oil rig and set up the equipment for the gig. Since I was the only woman on the rig I was not allowed to sleep there, all the guys got to sleep on a ship that was docked. 

 After the gig ( which was awesome!! ) I was taken on a small motor boat to a little island, it was pitch dark and I assumed someone would be meeting me at the dock to take me to my lodgings.....................wrong!  We got there and the guy said just walk up the jetty and that's your cottage there with the lights on, call this number in the morning and we will come back and get you..............I asked if they were expecting me he said just go in the doors open.  So I did, I looked around and there was no one else in the cottage, I looked outside and it was pitch dark, I started to panic and called the number they gave me and no one answered....I sat up in a chair all night till the sun came up, scared stiff.  At first light I called again and told them to come get me. After telling the guys in my band my story they were concerned also and knew I was NOT going back there.

 So we came up with the master plan...after the gig I would dress up in their clothes and shuffle in between them onto the boat and stay with them the next 2 nights. 

The boat that they were on had security at the gang plank and I made it passed them and just before my foot hit the deck one of them shouted have a great night Susan ( aka Susan Childe )  Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa  but they let me go anyway, I had a great night, all the guys had bought water pistols in the 3 bands and we ran around the ship like a bunch of pirates all night long.  A great memory now but a nightmare none the less at the time ♫♪♫

Yvonne J.

 

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