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1995 · not illustrated yet

The BYOB Party

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“Bring your own booze, hide it in a hedge, and hope nobody's mum drives past.”

The first rule of a 'bring your own booze' party is simple: hide the evidence. The front hedge seems like the perfect spot, a treasure trove of lukewarm cider and fizzy pop. But when a car pulls up, headlights sweeping across the leaves and glinting on glass, we realise our mistake. It's a mum. And she's early.

Then we saw it: Mum's car... right by the hedge.

From the back cover

It is a night of high stakes and low-quality drinks. At our very first teenage party, the entire stash of contraband is nestled in the privet hedge. Everything is going swimmingly, until a pair of headlights illuminates our secret hoard. A parent has arrived for pickup, parking right next to our boozy bursary. They have no idea what lies inches from their door.

Where
A house on the Colchester road
When
Friday night, summer holidays
Who
Me, Barry, Dale, Ben
Props
Bottles in a hedge, Party invite, A trampoline
The oblivious grown-up
Somebody's mum did the pick-up and never looked in the hedge
Got away with
Nobody counted the bottles