The Revolution in Blackpool's funfair contains a single upside-down loop, traversed forwards, then in reverse. Last year, one of our number (mentioning no names, Jacky) had a fur hat she'd borrowed from our friend Colette blown off on this very ride, and we'd been left stranded for ten minutes in the freezing rain in mid-ride while the staff went and found it. Wendy and I chuckled at the memory as we took our places in the front seats of an otherwise-empty ride. Well, I didn't laugh for long. During the forward loop, my necklace came up and hit me on the forehead - I grabbed it with the hand which was holding my wig, and in a flash, my crowning glory had disappeared! Strapped into my seat, and totally unable to do anything about it, I had to wait for the return ride, wondering what experiences lay in store for me on the journey back to the hotel if, as was likely, I was never to see my wig again.
As we arrived back in the station, and the young man came to unlock the restraining bars over our shoulders, I had a desperate thought. Was it possible that my wig had been blown into one of the other cars? Could it have survived the journey back around the loop, pinned to the floor of the car by centripetal force? What state would it be in, even if I got it back? Meanwhile, the young man had fished something very familiar and well-loved off the floor of the seat directly behind mine, and offering it in my direction, asked "Is this yours?". It most certainly was mine, and I was very glad to see it, and told the man so. By now, I could see the funny side of it, and we all laughed. I replaced the wig, and did the best I could under the circumstances to make it look tidy.
As if to stick two fingers up at Fate, Wendy and I had one more ride on Pepsi Max before leaving the funfair. No more lost articles this time, though! On the way back to the tram terminus, we were followed by a group of half a dozen 'lads', who heckled and shouted abuse: "fucking trannies - show us ya dick", etc. etc.. It didn't worry us unduly - there were too many people around for them to have tried anything, and they were making bigger fools of themselves than they were of us. But under the circumstances, I secretly thanked my lucky stars that I'd got my wig back ......
From personal notes.