Back in my cable days I had some strange encounters.

One happened one fine summer’s day in a south Dublin suburb.

My task that day was to switch on and commission a line of cables that had been laid along a road of large detached houses. It was one of the more affluent areas which made a pleasant change from the boring Corporation estates. There was just one amplifier involved so it was a simple enough job.

I had already sent power down the cables to the amplifier so it was a simple matter of powering up the amplifier itself and adjusting the various input and output levels. The amplifier was mounted on the end gable of a house up at eaves level. I would need to ladder up to it, which meant getting permission from the householder to sling up the ladder on their property. This was standard procedure and was usually no problem.

I lugged the ladder up to the front door and found a notice taped up by the door bell. “I am in the back garden. Just come around through the side gate“. Fair enough thinks I, so I went around into the back garden.

There was the lady of the house lying out on the lawn on a sun bed reading a book. She seemed a little surprised to see me as she said she was expecting a neighbour and the note had been for her. She asked what I wanted and I explained that I just wanted to work on the cable television system. She said that was fine and to carry on.

Now all this would have been normal enough except for one thing. The woman was absolutely beautiful and stark naked. Apart from a pair of sunglasses she was completely as nature intended. She didn’t seem in the least put out by this and just went back to reading her book.

I had a fine view from the top of the ladder.

It was difficult to concentrate on the work, and I had to spend a long time at that amplifier.

It’s a wonder I didn’t fall off the ladder?