Beepable

In the old days, the lifeboatmen used to be summoned to the station by the firing of maroons. Here in Antibes, they used to sound the air raid sirens... until the good citizens thought that their sleep was worth more than lives at peril at sea. Now they use pagers, called 'beepers' with rather ambiguous affection by the crew.

I've just been issued with one, which rather alarmingly went off five minutes after I got it. Luckily, old hands were near, who told me just to replace the battery. In the past, a number of people have arrived breathless at the lifeboat station, only to find that their beeper had gone on the blink with low juice, and had been beeping to itself.

I was at the station this morning as part of a polishing detail, as a kind and public-spirited sponsor (Mitsubishi Electric) had provided air-conditioning equipment for the crew room (no luxury in this climate, especially for crew who have to go directly from the 'shout' back to work). The publicity photos would have to show a gleaming boat, and for once it sparkled.