Episode 7 – Unexpected Item in the Bagging Area
🗓️ What Have We Been Up To Then?!
We kick off the episode with a catch-up on what we’ve been up to since the last episode.
Kerry discovered the Waiter’s Race in Hereford, which turned out to be like something straight out of It’s a Knockout — lots of running, chaos, and things nearly being dropped… all in aid of National Restaurant Week.
Kerry also went to the Fawlty Towers Dining Experience, where Manuel managed to goad a diner into charging at him with two forks on his head while he played matador with a serviette. Completely bonkers and very funny.
Meanwhile, Pauline has been chatting with the Real Birth Studio and enjoying a few meals out with her college friends — very civilised!
🌭 National Something on a Stick Day
This important national event led us down memory lane to the good old days when everything came on a stick, sausages, cheese, pineapple, probably entire meals if you looked hard enough.
Simple times. Food tasted better when it was served on a cocktail stick.
🎭 Shakespeare Week in Hereford
It was Shakespeare Week, so we went out and spoke to some Hereford locals to see what they knew.
Special mention goes to Pete, Pauline’s neighbour, who seemed to have an endless supply of Shakespeare quotes ready to go. We suspect he may have been revising all week.
Much quoting, some confusion, and possibly a few made-up lines…
🎩 Wear a Hat Day
Pauline explains that she has a big brain and a small head, which makes hat shopping difficult.
Kerry, however, loves a hat and fully embraces Wear a Hat Day.
We also discuss:
- Where the phrase “Mad as a Hatter” comes from
- Dunce hats
- And the story that at Police HQ, if you wore a cone hat at your desk it meant you were busy and not to be disturbed, which is actually genius and should be brought back immediately.
🎨 Man in the Hat – Mac MacDonald
Pauline interviews Mac MacDonald, a painter she met in the Old Market in Hereford, mainly because he was wearing a very distinctive hat.
He turned out to be a brilliant character, originally from London with a strong cockney accent but has lived in Ross-on-Wye for 30 years.
Apparently no one recognises him without his hat, which he has repaired countless times and refuses to throw away.
The hat stays. Forever.
🦜 Percy the Parrot (And The Dog…)
We move on to pets, and Pauline tells the unforgettable story of Percy the African Grey parrot who escaped, flew over the houses shouting:
“BUGGER OFF!”
…while cackling.
He was eventually recaptured… only to later be eaten by the family dog Sophie, who had previously also eaten the hamster.
That dog had form.
🛒 Self-Service Checkout Rage
Kerry talks about the absolute palaver at self-service checkouts now, especially meat locked in plastic anti-theft prisons that the scanner then refuses to recognise.
Cue the machine repeatedly shouting:
“Unexpected item in the bagging area.”
Pauline then tells the story about her friend trying to discreetly buy condoms, only for the self-checkout to loudly summon assistance and announce the situation to the entire shop.
Possibly the most embarrassing shopping trip of all time.
🧭 Jeff & Ted Update
We have an update on Jeff and Ted, who are now being tracked by survival expert Steve Chance.
Pauline interviews him while standing in for a radio presenter called Alan…
However Steve is so focused on his story that he keeps calling Pauline Alan throughout the interview.
She gave up correcting him in the end.
📣 Shout Outs!
This episode’s shout outs go to:
- Jenny at Yeleni – fantastic Bowen therapist
- Emily – Silent Disco Striders
- Rose English – Author and fashionista extraordinaire
You’re all brilliant 👏
🎥 Story Seat Reminder
Don’t forget our latest Story Seat is now out featuring Emma O’Hare from the Veteran Support Centre and she is an absolute firecracker. Definitely worth a watch.
🔜 Coming Up in Episode 8
Next episode we’ll be talking about:
- April Fool’s Day pranks
- International Children’s Book Day
- Easter
- And Pauline’s favourite… Scrabble Day
🎧 Listen now to Episode 7 of Herefordshire Hearsay — stories, silliness and the Shire at its finest.
Herefordshire Hearsay is all about local voices, untold stories and celebrating the brilliant people who make the county shine. If you love Herefordshire, you’ll love this.
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Episode 7 - Where you can find things:
00:00.000 Welcome
00:12.000 What Have We Been Up To Then?!
04:10.000 National Something on a Stick Day
06:01.000 Shakespeare week in Hereford
12:33.000 Wear a Hat Day
16:24.000 Man in the Hat – Mac MacDonald
20:01.000 Percy the Parrot (And The Dog…)
22:35.000 Self-Service Checkout Rage
25:36.000 Jeff & Ted Update
30:14.000 Shout Outs!
31:20.000 Story Seat Reminder
31:34.000 Coming Up in Episode 8
Episode 7 - Who was mentioned
Beehive Florists
Jenny Edwards
Real Birth Studio
Emily Anderson - Silent Disco Striders
Rose English (Author)
Watch on YouTube
Story Seat interview with Emma O'Hare from Herefordshire Veteran Support Centre - watch it here
Thanks for listening to Episode 7 – Unexpected Item in the Bagging Area!
If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to follow, share, and tell your friends (and the person supervising the self-service checkouts). Pauline & Kerry xx
