A changed Ireland
By Primal Sneeze ~ September 8th, 2008. Filed under: Blogs, Friends, Irish identity, Jokes, Life.
On Saturday evening I enjoyed a drink and a chat with two old friends I’d never met before. The Internet’s like that.
Just after they left I was joined by another old friend. One I had met before. But not for years. Not even on the Internet. He’s not like that. Which is a pity in a way. He too has a story to tell. Many of them.
Having a smoke out back in the beer garden he told me of losing his job, of staying at home during the week to care for his autistic daughter, of working 15 hour shifts at weekends to supplement his wife’s income, of not being able to afford the mortgage. Noticing a couple sit down at one of the tables and begin tucking in to a Chinese takeaway, he broke off … hasn’t Ireland come a long way - 50 years ago we ate inside and crapped outside. Now we eat outside and crap inside. He carried on telling of his troubles.
You can’t but admire people who retain their sense of humour no matter how tough life gets.
I have a bunch of those. We’ve coined a new word in Irish for it ríomhaithne, there being such a network of us.
Humour is an essential characteristic of humanity.
Hope his luck picks up.
That fairly puts things in perspective!
Man, that’s some bad luck. Meeting an old friend is like nothing else though. I bet you both had a rare old time together. Meaningful. These are the small pleasures to grab with both hands.
@aonghus - Ríomhaithne is a phrase I will remember. And use.
@JohnMc - Indeed it does. There’s no better phrase in the English language than the one most commonly used in Ireland: Ah shur, it could be worse.
@problemchildbride - A rare old time, yes, but too brief. We both parted - he to catch a train and I to train cat (not to eat). Yeah, I forgot to feed Hitler. Again.
(Fek it, but I’d love to make a comment about grabbing small pleasures, but I won’t - that would be rude and anyway, neither set were small.)
Hey, it was great to meet you! Thanks a million for the bath.
@Annie Rhiannon - And you*. Any time you need a bath of milk you’re more than welcome to drop by. Any time at all.
* How’s about that folks! Sneezy met the world famous Annie. Top that if you can.
Top it with cream I presume?
@Eolaí gan Fhéile - And that’s what was done.
@Primal Sneeze - Maidir le ríomhaithne - I’ve been digging through the GAEILGE-A archives to be able to credit the coiner. I can find my follow up to the suggestion in 1999. But not who made it. Pity.
@aonghus - Then it’s yours. I am 100% unanimous on that. Anyone who wants to disagree can
fight mebugger off.