I Used to Hitchhike
I used to hitchhike everywhere as a young man but these days, it's quite rare to see anyone doing it. When I was in my teens, it was the only way to get around after 10 o'clock. The buses all stopped at 10, so if you went to the local dance that finished at 11, the only option was to hitch a lift home. After school I joined the military and hitching became the preferred method of getting home and back again at the weekends. It was common practice for us to hang our hats on the side of our holdalls as we stood by the roadside. People could then see you were in the military and getting a lift was easy. Unfortunately, the IRA became active in England and we were told not to do that.
I have several memorable experiences. One time, I got a lift part way home. He dropped me where he lived. I got out of the car and started walking again and felt something kept banging on the backs of my legs. I felt around (it was dark at the time) and found that I'd picked up loads and loads of fishing tackle. He's obviously had it on his seat, and the hooks got into my clothing, so when I got out it was all attached. It was too dark to remove it and too late to go back and knock on his door. I ended up walking the rest of the way home. Next day I unhooked it all (about half a dozen lead weights, hooks and masses of line) and returned it to him. He was very apologetic but extremely grateful that I'd returned it.
I also got picked up once by a gay guy on his way home from work as a chef at the big hotel in the same town as the local dance, but that's a different story!
I have several memorable experiences. One time, I got a lift part way home. He dropped me where he lived. I got out of the car and started walking again and felt something kept banging on the backs of my legs. I felt around (it was dark at the time) and found that I'd picked up loads and loads of fishing tackle. He's obviously had it on his seat, and the hooks got into my clothing, so when I got out it was all attached. It was too dark to remove it and too late to go back and knock on his door. I ended up walking the rest of the way home. Next day I unhooked it all (about half a dozen lead weights, hooks and masses of line) and returned it to him. He was very apologetic but extremely grateful that I'd returned it.
I also got picked up once by a gay guy on his way home from work as a chef at the big hotel in the same town as the local dance, but that's a different story!
