Harry Potter and Saturday night quiz

I was invited to a pub quiz last weekend, I jumped at the chance. It was in the city, an area I don't frequent too often but for a quiz I was prepared to make the trip. I breezed in past a polite woman holding a jar, she said hello. Thats polite I thought but I was focused, I said hello back and walked on I was looking for my team. The only problem was that of the eight members I only knew two, a couple, who were running late. I sought the security of the bar, ordered a drink and decided to wait it out.

It turns out that the woman standing by the door, holding a jar and being polite was not just part of the furniture. I realised this when my friends turned up and like every other person in the place popped £2 in the jar, it would seem they did not have the same focus as me, this was the first worrying sign. I met the rest of my team and under first impressions they seemed a nice bunch but were they smart.  So specialist subjects anyone, it would seem not and mine, well, useless knowledge of course. There was an odd laughter, I say odd because I had not made a joke simply stated a fact perhaps they had misheard me. The quiz starts and things are ticking along nicely I am nodding my head in agreement to the people who seem to have sensible answers to sensible questions. There are a few gaps on our sheet but I am sure everyone has a couple this is going well. It was at the half way break when the current scores were added up that things started to turn. Third, the Quizzie rascals were third, third from bottom what the hell, maybe we should have filled in those gaps.

The night was organised in order to raise money for the foodbank, a great scheme, to which you will be happy to know I unfocused for long enough to donated my £2 in to the jar. I looked around the room sizing up the competition only to see nearly everyone was drinking water, soda or juice. This could have been a lifestyle choice but I think it was more, these people meant business, well what was I meant to do, I went to the bar.

There was a dispute on what France looked like, and I think a few others cottoned on to my agreeing head nod trick as my end of the table started to resemble a churchill advert. Another scores update revealed we had held steady at third (bottom). Not a disaster. After the final round the papers were collected and the results came in. Quizzie rascals last place. I would like to say unbelievable but don't feel I can.

There is a final twist in the tale as the losers turned out to be winners of wooden spoons and chocolates. As there were only prized for first and last I like to think we played the smart game, we came out a wooden spoon each and a few chocolates richer with Mike Baldwin and Harry Potter sealing my crown on useless knowledge.

Were my team smart, well all I can say is we won a prize.