This morning I received an e-mail asking for my work telephone number. I was a little suspicious but decided to oblige since I am so trusting of fellow forees regardless of their membership status.
A little after 11.00am I was phoned and someone by the name of hi-fi giveaway explained that I had won first prize in the forum competition. I protested that there must be more deserving recipients of such fine audio equipment but was informed that rules were rules and, since I was the first to respond to the initial post, I was winner of first prize. We arrived at a form of compromise. Deciding that my initial prize request was a little greedy we settled on CDS/82/Mana Mini Table. After all, I needed a better source and pre-amp at home and my LP12 was still Mana-less.
Shortly after 1.00pm someone rather anonymous looking arrived in a Mondeo LX. Nonethless, I was a little shocked since they were female, and I wasn't sure they were allowed even junior membership of the forum. We shook hands, exchanged pleasantries rather nervously, unloaded the equipment I had won and, without further ado, off she went. She didn't even want to look at or hear my present system which I found rather odd.
So, I am now rather Arthur Bye-esque and have three excellent Naim systems (my 32.5/HC/110 is in the kids bedroom hooked up to their Sony CD player - sounds rather good actually) and (not rather Arthur-esquely) have egg on my face.
Certainly 1st prize in the Hi-Fi competition has proved not to be the hoax that all you cynics suspected. Oh well.
ps You may be wondering why I was surprised to see a woman when we had talked earlier on the phone. The reason is the person on the phone was a man acting on behalf of the prize-giver who wanted as little involvement as possible. In fact all she wanted to do was guarantee delivery of the prize(s).
pps You may also be wondering if I asked "why the competition?". Yes I did, but the lady went pale and mentioned family bereavement under her breath so I decided not to pry any further.
[This message was edited by Alex S on SUNDAY 05 August 2001 at 15:02.]
Posted on: 05 August 2001 by Jez Quigley
Well done Alex, enjoy!
I expect all the folk who sneered are now feeling suitably chastened - I know I am, and wished I'd got the email off earlier. Oh well, back to wishful thinking, saving for the sbls etc.
Posted on: 05 August 2001 by P
Yeah - I know Alex's posts were funny Brian - I'm just wondering if there's more to come - that's all.
There are no sour grapes here at all - good luck to the guy - I mean it's not every day something like that happens right?
Pete
Posted on: 05 August 2001 by Stuart Frazer
Alex - you see it was no hoax after all. Hope you enjoy your new additions with some good music. I'm a rather envious of you all the same.
Any other winners out there ?
Stuart
Posted on: 05 August 2001 by Steve Toy
quote:
If someone lived on the Isle of Sky, would the Mondeo LX have made the trip
My Mondeo LX, with 235,000 miles on the clock will shortly be making a trip to Brno in the Czech Republic to see the Czech Motorcycle Grand Prix - that's a round trip of 2060 miles. I have every confidence!
It's always a nice day for it, have a good one 
Steve
Posted on: 06 August 2001 by Bruce Woodhouse
Well I thought it was a hoax too. Oh well...
I hope that the folk who gave away the prize (who obviously read the forum) can take pleasure that the winner is obviously delighted and the rest of us had fun contributing to the thread and reading the replies.
If this kit belonged to someone who has now died then the family can be very satisfied by this legacy. I applaud their generosity.
Bruce
Posted on: 06 August 2001 by Alex S.
Can you imagine my relief when I openend the “Births & Deaths” columns of the Times this morning to discover that the bereavment in question concerned a hamster called Roger Hammystein the Third, or Hammy for short. It turns out that said rodent had developed a real penchant for the Naim sound. He would dance to Delibes, gyrate to Dizzy Gillespie; pogo to the Pogues. You should have seen the PRaT as he trod his wheel, such vigour and enthusiasm rarely seen in a rodent. It was uncertain whether the poor creature fell into a deep coma as a result of some Phil Collins or whether it was an overdose of Delius that finally did for him. Either way, it was doubtless a tragic end, but hopefully a fairly painless one. Unfortunately, Roger Hammystein the Third was also the last; he died without issue and no heir to the system.
It is with these thoughts in mind that I have decided to donate my prize to the Hammersmith Hospice for Homeless Hamsters. (Its very near the Novotel, all donations gratefully received).
Posted on: 06 August 2001 by Jay
Alex S
I've looked @ The Times on the net and I can't see the entry anywhere. Are you sure you've spelt Hammystein correctly?
Jay
[This message was edited by Jay on TUESDAY 07 August 2001 at 04:38.]
Posted on: 07 August 2001 by Alex S.
I was aware of the risk that my competition response might elicit the scandalous suggestion that I may have started the whole thing off. But you Lance, how could you? After all the advice I gave you about granite stands.
I think the initial thread was entirely reprehensible if a hoax and, in the unlikely event of it being genuine, could have been handled rather better. My subsequent thread I regarded as an innocent joke but if I offended anybody I apologise in profusion.
ps How come the Dutch are so suspicious?
Posted on: 09 August 2001 by Alex S.
I'll drop those stands off by plane next time you're out walking
