Birthday Boy, and by default Team Thumper got this reply to their shameless begging letter. As it is both funny and so true I thought I'd share it with you:
While you do indeed owe me a drink or two, as always I am in awe of the scale and depth of your shameless blaggery. Such courage and audacity are rare qualities - you should be either showered with gold or locked in a barrel of stinking haddock, I just can't decide which.
This punishment would be pointless anyway, as you would no doubt cadge a fag off a dead fish to help pass the time, then convince the barrel to lend you a hacksaw [returned minus the blade] before somehow ending up with a pocket full of gold...
So, I'm going to leave your eventual reward for a lifetime of scrounging to fate, and sling 20 quid into your paypal account...
Happy birthday
B(arry Johnson)
Thank you very much Barry; I promise he won't ever darken your door step again.
Boyd (the other 2/3's of Team Thumper)