I sat on my sofa intently watching my team, Aston Villa, in action against Sheffield United on the the Monday Night Football Special on Sky Sports 1.

The game was on a knife-edge. It was 2-2 with 20 minutes to go, and the action was end to end.

Chunk!

My entire world went black in an instant.

My first thought was that a recent attempt at rewiring a dimmer switch in the front room had finally backfired in spectacular fashion. Then I noticed the entire street was in darkness. Was it a terrorist attack? If you were aiming for maximum disruption to the lives of the infidel masses, then the last 20 minutes of the Monday Night Football is as good a time as any to launch your offensive. I think Al Qaeda prefer Rugby .

Then my mobile rang. One of my female friends (and a close neighbour) was also blacked out, suggesting that the blackout was covering an area of at least a few square blocks. I then realised that this is what it must have been like in the Blitz. Luckily I react well under pressure and am always well prepared for every eventuality, and so I suggested she come and pick me up in her car so I could borrow some candles and a lighter from her.

She drove me round the block to her flat, where we realised that the electric gates to her complex would not work, so we could not get in. I looked at the gates and planned the best method of clambering over them. I was just about to explain to my female friend how she should best attempt the climb when…

Chunk!

The lights came back on!

I guessed there were at least ten minutes of the match to go so we dashed back to her car, jumped in, started the car, performed a three point turn, checked both ways, agreed that nothing was coming, turned down the radio, and then drove the 100 yards back to my flat. As we pulled up outside, I opened the door and sprinted to my own front door, key in hand.

Chunk!

The world went black again.

Clearly someone up there didn’t want me to see the end of the match.

Damn those Rugger supporting terrorists.

(The match finished 2-2 in case you are interested)

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