黑洞社区

Regular readers of this column will be aware that this is not the first time a technical issue has affected our pint buying. This time, though, we鈥檙e drinking with engineers.

鈥淕ive it here,鈥� says Paul, offering to fix it. Thank God we鈥檙e with technical types 鈥� this could have been really embarrassing.

After turning the camera on and off a few times, Prashant steps in. 鈥淟et鈥檚 have a look.鈥�

Prashant confidently takes out the battery and then puts it back in. He does the same with the memory card.

It鈥檚 really impressive watching these professionals at work.

We wait expectantly while the camera warms up. Sadly, when it does the screen still says 鈥渕emory card error鈥�.

Over to Bill. Now he鈥檚 the kind of guy who seems to know what he鈥檚 doing. Frowning with concentration, Bill expertly shakes the camera, turns it upside down and finally, with a flourish, bangs it on the table.

It鈥檚 still dead. Now things are serious. Everyone is on their mobiles trying to get a camera.

I call the 黑洞社区 team, who are in another pub down the road, expecting someone to dash over with a backup 鈥� or at least show some sympathy. Instead, there is nothing but widespread hilarity.

Thankfully, WSP鈥檚 colleagues take our plight more seriously and within minutes have arranged for Stephen Parnell to dash over from their office with a camera. He鈥檚 slightly flushed but reassures us that everything鈥檚 under control.

Stephen sets to work immediately, moving round our table taking shots from all kinds of angles and telling us to 鈥渁ct natural and pretend I鈥檓 not here鈥�. Phew!

Just as we鈥檙e all starting to relax, Paul suggests we have a Prairie Fire. This turns out to be a shot of tequila with Tabasco as an extra kick 鈥� as if it needed one.

Jane has apparently experienced the delights of the Prairie Fire before and politely declines it. One swig of the stuff and it鈥檚 pretty obvious why.

Paul says that he was first 鈥渢reated鈥� to this terrifying concoction by WSP鈥檚 US chief executive. 鈥淲SP is very much about knowledge share, passing on skills, you see,鈥� Arthur explains.

The conversation dwindles as we settle down to watch the Champions League final, but things don鈥檛 get any more comfortable 鈥�