Rosebud

The plot of Orson Welles' great movie Citizen Kane revolves on one of the most famous sledges in history.  Cricketers' ears may prick up.  In vain; this is not a sledge of the 'Why are you so fat?' - 'Cos every time I sleep with your wife she gives me a biscuit.' variety.  

Welles did go on to feature in the title role in The Third Man, the only movie ever to have been named after a fielding position.  Cricketers may start the film in high expectation.  They look forward to arty shots of Welles' patrolling the boundary, of his flat throw putting the batter who has unwisely gone for the second run under pressure.  But they will be disappointed.  There is no cricketing action, just lots of running about in sewers.   All in all, Welles is a bit of a tease from the cricketing point of view.

Nevertheless, despite the lack of cricketing interest, Fantasy Bob has watched and enjoyed Citizen Kane many times, and he did so once again the other night.    It was Mrs FB who pointed out,

'You're just like Kane.'

FB was perplexed.  He had never conceived of himself as an  populist who turned unprincipled despot.  He suggested that, particularly in contemporary circumstances, she might find better points of comparison.  

'No, not that,' she said.  'This sledge thing.'

FB saw what she was driving at.  Just as Charles Foster Kane's psychology was dominated by his childhood memory of his beloved sledge, Rosebud, so FB's most prized possession is his childhood sledge - the Davos Flyer, product of Grays of Cambridge no less.  

FB is uncertain of the exact date of its purchase but he painted it in racing colours inspired by the gold medal won in the 2-man bob-sleigh at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck by the British team of Tony Nash and Robin Dixon.  

FB would follow in their footsteps, the lack of a local bobsleigh track notwithstanding.  His skilful manouvreing of the Davos Flyer down surrounding hills was surely all the proof the Olympic selectors needed.  Sadly, they never came.  

But FB never gave up hope.  There is still no local bob sleigh track - Edinburgh being as deficient in that department as FB's native Aberdeen.  But the Davos Flyer is still with FB.  It may be 50 years old, but things were made to last in the old days.  The cold snap recently has seen the Flyer come into its own, as FB, child again with the snowy world at this feet, has careered down adjacent slopes.  FB is sure he made the qualification time.  Perhaps the Olympic selectors will take note this time.