Do you rehearse your cover story?

[threechilliman]

Not everyone needs one for a punt but for those that do, I always have a story lined up as to why I might have gone to where I'm going to punt. I make sure I rehearse it so that if it was ever called upon, it would flow seamlessly from my mouth. I wonder whether anyone else does this when punting?

tcm

[Hawkwind71]

Not everyone needs one for a punt but for those that do, I always have a story lined up as to why I might have gone to where I'm going to punt. I make sure I rehearse it so that if it was ever called upon, it would flow seamlessly from my mouth. I wonder whether anyone else does this when punting?

tcm

Buy an all day pass on a steam railway, ' ride the rails ' all day whilst banging the fuck out of a WG in the city centre.
Works for me 

[Timmy2]

ha ha nice one, i'll try that one

Raddy

[Steptoe]

Absolutely !!!
Moreso if a longish journey is involved ie more than 30 mins drive.
My local is 10 mins away 

Step

[vw]

Mine come in handy when sent to the wrong room at the new inn, old couple there I have come to fix a guests laptop, oh that wasn't us, OK will check room number.  Hour later on way out they called me over in the bar on way out, they couldn't get online. fixed !!  BANG

[smiths]

Not everyone needs one for a punt but for those that do, I always have a story lined up as to why I might have gone to where I'm going to punt. I make sure I rehearse it so that if it was ever called upon, it would flow seamlessly from my mouth. I wonder whether anyone else does this when punting?

tcm

I have it down pat after over 30 years of punting. The thing to ALWAYS bear in mind is don't get complacent and be able to handle the unexpected and think on your feet if necessary. I go to great lengths to ensure I don't get caught out, its a top priority to me.

[Hawkwind71]

I have it down pat after over 30 years of punting. The thing to ALWAYS bear in mind is don't get complacent and be able to handle the unexpected and think on your feet if necessary. I go to great lengths to ensure I don't get caught out, its a top priority to me.

Me too, I am constantly thinking how to explain my location especially when my daughter sends a text, where are you, tried calling but your phone went straight to voicemail.

[threechilliman]

....don't get complacent and be able to handle the unexpected and think on your feet if necessary

Yeah, I've had the Mrs phone me when I was on the way to a punt. 'Where are you now?' she enquired. The question was innocent as she wanted me to call at the shop on my way home for something or other but I nearly shit myself. Suddenly I was having to commit to a story and try and think of the knock on effects of me being later than planned.

tcm

[jcdmj12]

I have a couple of standing ones which are usable to keep it simple. I have only had to use one once in several years' punting, thankfully.

[cueball]

I only punt during my Windows that give me freedom, but in the safe side I already have the cover story in place, as op said earlier, you don't know when you'll get a call.

I also have an excuse for not answering the phone.

You've got to cover your tracks

[zundabar]

Only 1 punt in but my second planned for tomorrow. I'm a fairly good liar but only with time to prepare, couldn't do anything on the spot to save my life.

For the 1st I made sure to do some research on the area I was going to (in case I wanted to do a bit of exploring or stop off for something to eat afterwards) and found it had one of Alan Turing's old houses - as I'm into IT that fit very nicely.

For the upcoming one it's a night away at a hotel so trickier but I've said I just want a night to myself as a fair amount has happened with my family moving out and in recently and that seems to have stuck to the wall quite well.

[Boundless]

Yeah, I've had the Mrs phone me when I was on the way to a punt. 'Where are you now?' she enquired. The question was innocent as she wanted me to call at the shop on my way home for something or other but I nearly shit myself. Suddenly I was having to commit to a story and try and think of the knock on effects of me being later than planned.

tcm

That has happened to me, I was on Wolverhampton station en route to a punt. Answered the phone to the Mrs and an announcement was blaring out in the background! I told her I was at my home station going to somewhere else which she knew about.
I always try to make sure that where I'm going is believable, especially if something goes tits up or you bump into the dreaded shared acquaintance. This limits my sphere of punting quite dramatically as although I have tons of spare time and could easily travel 80 - 100 miles each way, the problem is coming up with a cover story as I'm not brave (or stupid) enough to go too far off piste without a decent excuse.

[Boundless]

Buy an all day pass on a steam railway, ' ride the rails ' all day whilst banging the fuck out of a WG in the city centre.
Works for me 

Yep, good man.

Trainspotting is a superb hobby.

A licence to travel far and wide and zero chance that the missus will a) want to join me and  b) ask me anything about the day!

[np500]

Self-employed, so I'm pricing a job or out with Dave at his skittle match for a drink, couldn't say I joined said team because I'd have to disappear for a night every week .

[DG]

My usual punting days are when my wife is at work, so not much need for a cover story. If I need one, golf is a good stock cover, but this restricts what I can wear to a punt. My other regular cover is working late as I attend a weekly management review which usually runs late on a Thursday, and I often go to dinners at night when executives visit. I have a 4 hour session booked for this week and the working dinner cover has already been well promulgated. 

[threechilliman]

Yep, good man.

Trainspotting is a superb hobby.

A licence to travel far and wide and zero chance that the missus will a) want to join me and  b) ask me anything about the day!

Train Cab Man it is then

tcm

[od13218]

Yes, I always have something worked out, though the cover required is usually minimal: I only do longer punts when either I'm on business trips or the wife and family are away.
At home I tend to go for quickies in Soho (15 mins can be a tube delay or a cheeky half on the way home) or at the most a half hour with a reasonably local regular when the oh is at work.
Luckily she almost never phones- always texts- and I'm lucky enough to have a very varied freelance schedule so almost any timing is plausible!
Doug

[Hawkwind71]

Yep, good man.

Trainspotting is a superb hobby.

A licence to travel far and wide and zero chance that the missus will a) want to join me and  b) ask me anything about the day!

Sam55 you really nailed it on the head. Remote hobby, completely explainable, missus no interest. Its the perfect cover.

[Hawkwind71]

Train Cab Man it is then

tcm

Excellent ! We could start a trend. Btw this is exactly what I did on Saturday....... wasn’t even quizzed when I got home. Zero interest, rolled eyes and carried on with supper.

[lostandfound]

I've been a punter for a long time, and although I'm happy not to tell people things they don't need to know and which might cause problems, I don't like telling lies. After all this time I've trained myself and people around me so that if I punt I'm unlikely to need a cover story. I use dead or slack time on my schedule for punting, and remain in contact with people except during the time when I'm actually in the punt. If I do need to obfuscate I stick as close to the truth as possible.