Thursday, June 05, 2008

love at first sight (like that's never happened here before)

It’s been a manic two weeks. Burning the candle at both ends in London, and pretty much here in Dublin too. It’s been a prime example of work hard/play hard – I’m stuffed.

But yesterday was no time to surrender. My last night in Dublin, I had to push through. To still see and do and imbibe as much as I possibly could before flying back to Joburg tonight. (Via Paris. Epic. Jesus – stopovers at midnight suck le ass.)

Anyway, I know another South African here, and he came to meet me at Ely’s, a bar on the canal/river. One forgets Dublin is on the coast.

Well. I temporarily fell in lust last night.

It’s honestly been a good tree monts since I last had tingles doing funny tings with my bodily functions, but in I walk from the pouring rain, and there’s a big press junket for the Galway Arts Festival at this place. The manager of this such bar just happens to be a fallen god.

He chats to me as I tentatively sip on an O’Hara Celtic Stout, and everytime he smiles at me (and everyone smiles – these are Irish people), I just want to, like, have an aneurysm.

But he’s working, I’m a customer, and well, it’s not an ideal situation. He’s a wine connoisseur but not a ‘this has a fruity nose, with a tinge of raspberry’ wine connoisseur and that such crap, he reckons: ‘Oim not that kind no woine goiy, I just loike woine. The rest of that pretentious crap can go to hell.’

God, he’s hotter than an anthracite stove, yet he's not a funky bastard.

(Cue cartoon hearts pulsing from my eyes)

So while he’s attending to PR and general management, I meet my friend and we see his flat and I then go to Temple Bar. Alone. When last did you do a pub crawl alone? I didn’t meet the person I was meant to meet there and what a meat market obviously – tourists snogging other tourists – and so I had another Guinness and had lots of time to think.

Most people contemplate life whilst sitting on a beach or in a tranquil quiet setting – me, it seems packed pubs are good think tanks. People watching and eye contacting and stuff in between. And 1) I really like Guinness you know. I thought I’d have one and vomit, but it’s actually a bloody nice drink. I might just carry on drinking it when I get back home. On analysis, it’s the creamy white froth at the top you can’t beat. It’s not that heavy – it goes down smoothly; the creamy foam is scrumptious. It’s excellent craic. Excellent.

2) I wish I’d stayed at Ely’s and chatted more to the super [oh my god, HOTTER than a set of Swedish lesbians] manager. OK, he probably has a girlfriend, the probability certainly lies in his favour. But hell. HELL.

Anyway, did about 15 kilometres last night. All round the city, just walking.

A flight to Paris tonight, then Joburg. Then if you can believe it, on arrival, I get into a car and head to Natal. Swear to fuck. With 8 friends.

It’s my 10 year school reunion this weekend. In the Midlands. It's something that we've all be organising for the last 2 years. People are going to be exchanging large expensive engagement rings, I'm going to be giving out business cards. (Don't have a large diamond on my hand...)

How, pray, am I going to stay awake? Exciting and crazy and the opportunity to see, like, my entire standard, but shit…what am I running on?

(If I close my eyes, it’s the Irish guy at the bar. Wow. That smile!)

12 comments:

Unknown said...

At least when you get to the reunion you will have a story to tell. Most people had nothing to say at mine, they were as boring as they were 10 years before. I on the otherhand tore the ass out of it and made a complete tit of myself. Not in the least boring but properly common..

Peas on Toast said...

hahaha - Don't worry Billy, I'm fairly certain we will rip the ring out of it too! As for stories, I'm certain there will be plenty - who knows eh? ;)

Vimbai said...

Oooh, sounds like someone has fallen for the charm of the Irish!

Does he have some gorgeous, typical irish name like Niall, Connor, Daragh...heck, even Seamus will do, haha.

10yr reunion, when in doubt,embellish, altho i doubt you'll have to.

Mommy said...

She's on her way back! Yay! So you're green and grey and tired and I agree with Billy - so much more to talk about than an engagement ring!

Little Miss said...

o wquick! a word of warning!!!

Guiness is only as delicious as it is for you now in Ireland, in Ireland. it doesnt travel very well.

i had the same expectations..vomiting and such...and i also want to swim around in a big vat of the stuff lapping it up whenever i can. but i also tried some in SA just before i left...HUGE difference.

it will make the memories of Dublin more bitter sweet ;)

leez said...

You should of asked him if you could sample some of his grapes some time. Cheesy and obvious I know but it may have worked.

As for the reunion, You probably gonna be happy you don't have that darn ring cutting off your circulation.

And if anyone has something different so say throw your new job, constant travelling, success and freedom, yes freedom, back in their faces...

Or just wear something that will have their husbanks wishing they'd held out longer.

SheBee said...

Good god, I am so jealous of you!

Revolving Credit said...

Of course he''l tell you that he has a girlfriend!

Haven't you realised by now that that is a standard Irish pickup line??

So, them Oirish are really into tree sums!

Peas on Toast said...

Vimbai - oh jeepers, I kid you not, his name was CONNOR. How hilarious!

Jam - engagement rings enshgagemnt shmings :) I agree! :)

Leila - you may be right about the Guinness not travelling well - I like that. I've had a wee mere sip here and there and didn't like it at all, so a whole pint seemed a challenge - but once here, it's all different! Love the Guinness. May have to have one last pint at the airport!

Leez - hahahaha. Luckily the husbanks aren't allowed on this trip - or at least I don't think so. I see lots of my school friends still, so hopefully between us all, we'll have a rip rocking girls weekend!

Sheebs - I'd be jealous of me if I actually got to touch this guy (touched his hand...nothing more than that... sigh)

Rev - me, CONNOR AND ALICIA KEYS. I'd be ok to die after that. My work here on this planet would be done!

Revolving Credit said...

Where's you engagement ring?
You were given one a few months ago!

Peas on Toast said...

Rev - oh yes, good idea Rev - what I'll do is print it out and sellotape it to my back. ;)

Mini - not yet, but thanks! If the plane gets there, see :)

KaB said...

Man oh man...you should've gone back...you never know with the luck of the Irish (with so much Guinness you'd swear you're Irish now!)

Welcome home though :) & look on the bright side...it's always great to be home!