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Though not a hurling article, this just had to be added. for those not
familar with Karl's style, this is one of his poorer efforts !!
Karl's Column - Monday Nights
For those who love their pints......(in case An Focal doesn't publish)
In the middle of the night........
On Monday night, Week 4, I ventured to the Hurlers for a nice quiet
pint
- as indeed one does. Monday night is the night when one reminisces
about the week end. Where did you go?, what did you do?, they
should
have won, they were screwed by the referee, did you get laid?,
who went
off with who etc., etc., - your usual Monday night gibberish.
Now the
pub has a fine front section - quiet, unassuming, with that nice local
feel. But we are not locals nor indeed natives. Our
place is out the
back - in that wonderful, crowded playground. In
we go....nice
crowd...not too full....see a few faces....a few hellos.
Match on TV.
This is bearable....if there is a goal we'll watch it, if not we keep
facing the altar. A little music...dance music to be precise...not
too
loud ( if it's too loud you're too old). Everything fine, so
far.
Looking forward to my nice quite Monday night....easing my way along
the
bar to our usual spot - the corner section of the bar near the
end -
near where the bands play...right hand side before one reaches the
Harry
and Haley. Suddenly I saw it. I looked again.
I wasn't hallucinating
after my Sunday session. No it was sitting there in all its absurd
splendor. Just sitting there on its own...no noise....no
company....nothing...just sitting there with its flashing lights and
its
La Pigalle like colours....something from the Times Square of old...just
give the money and ride away. But nobody did. It
sat there
..motionless....just flashing and hoping that some one would ride it.
Some people looked, came closer and then passed on. No-one drunk
enough
yet. 11.00 came and went and it was still flashing
and shaping and
hoping for some-one, anyone. It would be late soon, the crowd
were
leaving for ....you know where (the place where the bouncers get lots
of
money). Who was going to be the drunkest....surely there would
be
some-one brave enough, drunk enough....shamed enough to do it.
And
yes.....my friends.... we were not let down...not one but two and at
the
same time. They played together, put in the money, put
it into gear,
caressed it, teased it and rode it. As the
dance music got louder
and the goals fewer they played with her like old pros and she teased
and turned and ...GAME OVER. It's hard to play a
car game when one is
drunk......
I never did find out what anyone did for the weekend.
"It's not what we understand....but what we try to understand that makes
us all f*&%ed up."
James O'Brien.
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