The mysterious hooded driver presses a button ... and the bus doors swing open. Although the view through the bus windows remains pitch black, the passengers see light flooding into the bus through the now open doors. The excitement rises within.

Reg: OK. Time to get off.

Tony: At last!

Reg: The Brits and Europeans first. Then the Americans. I'll get off last. Just wait on the pavement for me.

Starting with Les and Tony, and finishing with Pieter, the passengers to Reg's right leave, one by one. Then the Americans leave. The driver has turned his head away from all of them, as if he does not want to be recognised. He stays on the bus, as Reg is the last down the steps. He notices that the Americans are standing in the middle of the road.

Reg: Er ... I said everyone please stand on the 'pavement'!

Don: Er, hello! We're standing on the pavement.

Reg: Er ... that's the road, guys.

bobl: Well, we call it the 'pavement'

Reg points to where the rest are standing.

Reg: That's the pavement!

DLM: No, bub.That's the sidewalk

Reg: Well, over here it's the pavement, mate. English rules apply here.

Dave: Well, what do you use the word 'sidewalk' for?

Reg: We don't.

The Americans grumble a bit - but finally everyone is standing in a group on the
pavement.

Lynn: (to Toni) I could care less.

Reg has overheard, and walks over to Lynn.

Reg: What was that?

Lynn: I said I could care less.

Reg: Try again.

Lynn: I could care less.

Reg: Keep going.

Lynn is getting flustered.

Lynn: I, er, could, er, care less.

Toni rushes to Lynn's rescue.

Toni: Ah, Lynn. Reg doesn't like that saying. He insists it should be 'I couldn't care less'. Says that makes more sense. That's what they say over here, anyway.

Reg: Yes Lynn. Toni has explained it perfectly. And another thing - black cats are lucky over here.

And Reg walks away. When he is out of earshot, Lynn turns to Toni.

Lynn: What a weird place.

Toni: I could care less!

Both: Ha, ha, hee, hee.

Reg: Right everyone. It's nearly 10.00 a.m. on Saturday, May the 2nd, 1959. It's been a heck of a journey ... but we're here.

DLM: Dude ... like - where?

Reg: We're about two and half miles directly west from Nottingham city centre.

Freddy: Don't we look a bit out of place here, on this ... pavement? Nearly thirty middle aged dudes from over the world ... and from 2012. Now in 1959.

Reg: No problem. We can see and hear ourselves - but no-one else can see or hear us.

Stan: Cool.

Reg: Think of us as a sort of ...collective individuated spirit.

Victor: Say what?

Toni: OK, I think most of us get it. But why are we outside this particular house?

JJ: Is ... was ... no, is this Alvin's house?

Reg: No, that's a few streets away. Like I wrote a couple of years ago, if you Google 'The Crane Houses of Wollaton Park', you can read - and see - all about Alvin's housing estate.

Glenn: So, whose house are we outside now?

Lynn: And why?

Reg: All will be revealed very soon. For the moment, keep your eyes on the exit from that alleyway.

He gestures to where they should be looking. And they all look. And wait. But not for long.

Reg checks his watch.

Reg: Any second now ...

And then a figure emerges from the alleyway. A young, male figure. Carrying a guitar.
They gasp in disbelief.

All: Oh my god! ... I don't believe it ... this is amazing ... oh, I'm so glad I came ... it's him, it's him ... etc.

Yes. Now they realised. This was the 'magic' that they had all been promised ...

Reggie, old crumpet (sorry, I know it's 1959, not 1929, but I grew up reading P.G. Wodehouse): you do realize, I mean realise, don't you, what a tall order it is promising magic to a Witch?? Cackle. Good thing for you Alvin's involved! Tee ho titter. Just don't forget, some Americans do know the Queen's English for one reason or another, even if we use American-- SOME of the time. I would not have been standing in the middle of the road. I would helpfully have corrected any who were doing so. As I have already commented about a million times, my dad was the son of an Englishman. As you may recall, I have a black cat named Mr. Lucky. Also, for that matter, I grew up saying "I couldn't care less." Every single solitary time I hear it said the wrong way, I cringe, at least inwardly. Do I pass muster? :-)

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P.S. Now, just watch the mysterious hooded bus driver turn out to be Joe Gooch on a spy mission! Feeble guffaw. On the other hand, talking of a Hooded Man sighted in Nottingham... ;-)

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This is getting exciting! We've not only survived travelling through time, but had a great party on the way, and now more magic

You've reminded me Reg of what it was like when I first started living in England for a year of university up in Lancaster. Although Laurie is well-versed in true English, I had a bit of adapting to do. I couldn't understand a lot of the accents (which led to some fun, good-hearted teasing), and didn't know a lot about things like getting "pissed" means getting drunk not getting mad! But after awhile I caught on and when a handsome English bloke came to visit me in Colorado I needed to interpret him for my friends. Fun, fun memories!!!

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Isn't "sidewalk" a variation of "duckwalk"? The master of silly walks, John Cleese, probably knows..

Anyway, think I heard the bus driver mumble something about "Ain't Seen No Whiskey.." on my way out, but not sure..

The hooded bus driver is intriguing me now.

Who is this caped conveyor?

I was expecting the hood to pulled back, followed by a theatrical shake of the familiar blonde locks, uttering the immortal words:

" Gonna pass me hat round now, all donations gratefully received".