Rob's 21st

It is amazing how much work you can actually get done when you put your mind to it - and when you have a bottle of red wine at your disposal! This held true for me last night as I found myself sitting in the computer rooms of the TCD Statistics Department working on my final year project accompanied by a glass (Sorry - paper cup) of Redser's dodgy Californian wine. I have never worked so efficiently before in my life and as such am eager to try this method again soon. Anyway as the deadline for the 7.30 bus to Ballyboden drew alarmingly close, myself, Si and Redser decided it was finally time to leave and meet Niall and Pamela for the treacherous journey into the sticks. This, of course, had nothing at all to do with the recent calls from Pamela at two minute intervals wondering where the hell we were and when we were going to head to the bus stop. No journey to the bus stop would be complete without a stop off at Centra for supplies of Bushmills whiskey, Bavaria and Airwaves. Fully stocked, we proceeded to meet the others. Dublin Bus being Dublin Bus, the 49 was inevitabely late. Despite much worrying on Pamela's behalf and much insistance from Redser to head to O'Neill's for a quick one, we managed to all board the bus. The journey was somewhat uneventful save Blathnaids new friendship with a drunk old Northern Irish bloke at the back of the bus.

We were the first to arrive at the venue - St. Enda's GAA club in Ballyboden. The place filled up soon enough and eventually the food appeared much to the relief of a starving MSISS class. Chicken, chips and salad and a shit load of buttered bread - brown and white! This was followed by a medley of 70s tunes by Rob's two Uncles on keyboards and drums respectively. It was then that I was invited on stage by Rob's younger brother to play bass on a few numbers. DISASTER! I was managing alright for the first couple till we started to play Sunshine of your Love. Thinking I was sorted because I knew the song I launched into it with great enthusiasm. It was only towards the end of the song that I heard someone calling my name. I turned around - it was Rob's keyboard playing Uncle. What was he saying? I couldn't make it out above the din! Why was he saying "It's Indie! It's Indie!"?? *click* He's saying "It's in D, It's in D!" I looked down at my bass and realised with horror that I had been playing the song in E all this time and the din I was hearing was a result of my error. TOTAL 'MARE! I finished out the song in a pathetic attempt to switch to E and then quietly left the stage never to return again. Apologies to Rob's brothers who are both very talented musicians for polluting their performance with my crass mistake.

A few drinks later I had forgotten the disaster and was back on top form again. Happy Birthday, 21 kisses and birthday cake inevitabely ensued followed by much dancing. Rob, revelling in the merriment, was on flying form and managed to pull almost everybody up for a good aul dance climaxing with everybody joined in a big ring for the only song to finish a night off with - I'm gonna be (500 miles) by The Proclaimers! We left shortly after that to head to town but not before pointing out that the baby photos of Rob at the door bore a striking resemblance to a certain Departmental lecturer. All fired up for going into town, I stopped outside to give a randomer directions which was strange since I had no idea where I was myself! Turning around, EVERYONE else had left in a car! Bastads. Fine then. Didn't want to go to town with them anyway. Spotted a lone figure across the road trying to hail a taxi and upon further inspection it turned out to be Will. Good old Will.

We got a taxi together and ended up at the bottom of Cornelscourt hill. With the taxi already at 20 big ones, I decided to get out there and walk the rest. It was then I realised my proximity to Col's gaff and felt obliged to inform him of this via Short Message Sending courtesy of o2. Passing Dunnes and resisting the temptation to go in and buy roast turkey and a dvd, I arrived home around 2am. With an extra ticket to the Ireland V Romania match resting in my breast pocket, I stumbled into my parents' room and mumbled something to my Dad about did he want to come to the match. He didn't. Got into bed but not before I had a quick drunken chat with Col and Frances on MSN. Well I had a good two-way chat with Frances however the chat with Col was positively one-way and I was reminded as such on more than one occasion the following day. Getting into bed, I watched a third of the Brendan Courtney show from last Wednesday night before slipping into a deep, alcohol induced sleep.

Now away with ye...