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Scene begins.
Its a tuesday evening. A telephone call is recieved inviting the narrator to a pub quiz at The Bot in a few hours time. Nine o’clock arrives. The narrator leaves for his journey, a 10 minute walk, to the bar. Walking up to the bar he says to the lovely barmaid “pint of harp please”, handing over the payment for the beverage he enjoys dearly he says “thanks.”
Fifteen minutes later his pals arrive, and manage to walk right past him, going straight to the bar. Possessions are lifted from the table and joins his fellow drinking companions. A good seat is found in the relatively quiet bar.
An hour into the “session” we realise that maybe there isnt a quiz tonight. After a few more drinks I remember to ask a member of the bar staff, the same barmaid as before, I am informed at this time that there is a quiz, but its upstairs, nearly over, and for Queens students. I wasnt too disappointed. Pub quizes are fun - not usually not enough drinking gets done, unless you have a drink for every wrong answer… now theres an idea.
11:30 comes around, the majority of folks leave to taxi their way home; early starts and so forth. Then there were three. Shortly after one leaves due to another early start. Then there were two. We talk. We drink; the usual. Then we leave. Its not too far back to the final companion’s house. We get there. Curious of the time at this point, the narrator places his hands into his pockets hoping to pull out a mobile phone. Alas, no phone here. Or here, or here. Clearly shitting himself at this point, he returns to the bar, desperately hoping to find his shiny phone sitting where it was left (on the table or on the chair).
A ‘kind’ bouncer called the number from his phone only to find it had been switched off. “Bugger” I said.
Leaving the bar I felt quite lost.
The next day a couple of guys in work were dropping in the word ’slide’ to sentences “slide over there and get that” etc. I didnt think too much of it at the time. It was only until a girl a work with went home that they asked me if I knew what they were talkin about. Obviously I didnt. So it turned out that she got a dirty message late the night before, told the guys but not me. She was pretty freaked out. Since then I have had to do my best to defend my innocence as best I can. Theres a ‘court case’ later this afternoon.
It was then that I realised the impact of leaving my phone behind that night. What if more people got the txts. For the girl in work to get one - it was extremely random.
When I got home I met Sarah. Luckily I sent her an email the night before sayin I’d lost my phone and couldnt meet for coffee that morning. She then informed me of 4 others who had received dirty messages. Girls generally getting one saying “I wanna put my cock in your slider”, and the guys getting a confession of me being gay.
Today I know of 18 people who have got the txts, some worse than others, including both my parents and younger brother. Im thinking there are many others too. Im trying not to let it get to me of course, but its pretty damn annoying.
So the SIM card was cancelled, im getting a new one with the same number and yesterday I bought myself a nice new phone. Though it is £90 I wasn’t planning on spending at the min.
Whats done is done. I just hope I can get to everyone soon.
Today I got an article published in the weekly ‘Teenage Kicks’ column of the Belfast Telegraph.
(click for larger version)
I really don’t have enough disputes in my life.It felt good to get it off my chest - to an extent. I realise now that I don’t have enough disagreements/disputes/conflicts with enough people. Its definitely necessary. I think I gotta get mad with more people more often.
If something happens you weren’t quite expecting, put it down to my new therapy. I believe it will make everyone much happier.
So yeah MUSE were amazing - but my night was shit.
I dunno, but maybe we shouldn’t do coffee…
End
“No one’s gonna take me alive
The time has come to make things right
You and I must fight for our rights
You and I must fight to survive”- Muse, ‘Knights of Cydonia’