Thank you kindly. But I'm ok. I quite like trying to extend the life of things. Especially these days.
The county where I live is known for its residents being tight fisted.
A Ceredigion joke.
Berwyn’s and the Aeroplane Ride
One of my favourite stories about Berwyn is when he went for a first ride in an aeroplane.
He had always dreamt of a ride in a small aircraft, so on his eighteenth birthday his father took him to Cardiff Airport, where you could book flights on small private aircraft.
Berwyn was so excited when they taxied down the small runway in a four-seater, twin-propeller Cessna Sky Hawk with a range of 640 miles.
They took off and flew over Cardiff Airport, tears of joy streaming down young Berwyn’s face.
Thirty minutes later, they landed back at the airport and Berwyn said excitedly, ‘Oh, I enjoyed that so much, Dad, but it went so quickly. Can I go up again, Dad . . . ?’
His father said, ‘I’m sorry, Berwyn, I can’t afford another hundred pounds. We’re only struggling hill farmers.’
The owner and pilot of the Cessna, retired Wing Commander Henry (Biggles) Smythe, approached Berwyn and his father and said, ‘I hope you don’t mind but I overheard your conversation with Berwyn and I have a proposition to make to you. I’ll take you both up in my Cessna Sky Hawk and if you remain absolutely silent during the flight . . . I won’t charge you.’
Berwyn’s father, a shrewd man of Cardigan (known to be careful with their money) turned to Berwyn and said, ‘Did you hear that? If we remain absolutely silent during the flight we won’t have to pay. So not a word, Berwyn . . . Dim Gair . . . Not a word.’
The little aircraft took off flying into the sun and climbed to 13,000 feet. It began a series of belly rolls and death dives before flying under the Severn Bridge, narrowly missing some 33 kV pylons and Aberthaw Power Station and Cement Works before landing safely back at the airstrip.
Captain Henry Smythe got out, removed his flying goggles and said to Berwyn’s father, ‘May I say, Mr Morgan, I’ve been pulling this stunt, this wheeze, for many years and no one has remained absolutely silent during the flight before. Tell me, Mr Morgan, out of interest, was there any moment when you nearly said something?’
‘Oh! Yes,’ said Mr Morgan . . . ‘When Berwyn fell out.’
