Shirt
"Come on", he said. "I know somewhere we can get a late drink near here".
I looked around me and Soho was busy and bustling. The pub we were leaving was still serving and I wasn't sure why we were moving on - but he had just arrived and seemed urgent. Some people just seem to make leadership decisions and he's one. We followed him down a few streets and lanes and came to a club with a man on the door. He was engaging the man in conversation as if they had met before. I realised there was a problem.
"He can't come in", he said pointing at me," With that shirt on. We're not allowing any supporters in."
"What if he does his jacket up and covers it up", said my friend.
"No", said the doorman.
"I'll take it off", I said and I removed my denim jacket and took off my replica shirt off putting in my jacket pocket. Under this current shirt I had an old rugby style football shirt (one of my dad's)
"Nice one", said the leader.
We didn't go in.
This morning I discovered that I had lost my shirt.

Posting
This is my first ever posting on the Cardiff City Message Board. I thought you'd like to see it.

http://www.ccmb.co.uk/fudforum/index.php?t=msg&th=78589&start=0&rid=1342&S=1c79194144d25f459efe169b7bf8b183

Lego
I really see little point at the moment - in posting about anything which isn't happening in North West London on saturday at 3pm - so I wont. Watch and enjoy!

Reject
Its quite possible that I'm overcautious about football related partisan violence. I'm not someone who's indulged in it myself and at my time of life I don't feel like starting. Anyway - last night I went to a local pub to watch the play off semi final between Bristol City and Crystal Palace. I'm not a supporter of either team but I am interested in Bristol City as I live here and my son supports them and I've seen them live a few times. I wanted them to win - and if they go up - I'll try to see some premiership games.

On the other hand I do hate Lee Trundle. He's an ex Swansea player who famously insulted Cardiff City once in a stupid way. When I went to see Bristol against City last month I thoroughly enjoyed the ninety minutes of abuse aimed at Trundle. He also looks annoying and full of himself.

Last night I stopped myself from doing the two things I wanted to do in the pub - that it - wear a Cardiff City shirt and shout abuse at Trundle. I didn't do either of these harmless things just in case there was a Bristol City (Or Rovers) fan in the pub who might take exception to this overtly Cardiff behaviour.

After a couple of pints I did shout "Swansea Reject" - but no one seemed to notice.

Night Off
"I'll take the car to party on saturday", I said, "But I'll leave it there and we'll get a taxi home."
"You could just not drink," she said.
"I don't want to not drink." I said
"Did you drink every night when I was away?" she said.
"No", I said, "Not every night....I had one night off".
(Not completely true...)

Not any more
On sunday I went to the Spar to get some Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner. The person serving me was the son of the owners who runs the garage next door.
"Was your wing mirror OK?", I asked. I had hit it with my wing mirror a couple of weeks ago while reversing to give way.
"Fine," he said - "I put it back on - occupational hazzard of parking in this street".
"I know", I said, "I try to to get worked up about it."
"He gets woound up about it all the time." I said about a well known local man who lives in my street. He's had his wing mirrors knocked off by kids a few times.
"He won't be any more", said garage man with a grin.
"Why?", said I.
"He died on thursday."
"Oh my god.", I said. " I didn't know".
"Yes, he had a heart attack crossing the road."
"Well I never."

Repair
I was plinking away of the piano when son came in an interupted me.
"The door bell went", he said, "It was Ed."
"Did you let him in?" I said - slightly surprised that some had been so helpful in his social interaction.
He had. Ed is the son of a good friend of mine and earlier this afternoon I'd offered to help him fix his puncture.
"I'll let him know when I'll be in", I said to his father, "And its up to him if he comes around."
I'd sort of not expected him to come and was pleased to see him. He had the bike wheel with him and no bike - which was also a relief as I'd envisioned an oily bike going through my living room.
"How do you get it off?" he said referring to the tyre.
"With tyre levers", I said fishing out some from a box - "or failing that spoons."
"Have you got a pump?"I asked as I removed the tyre.
"Err no..." he said.
"Oh!", I said "Its a car valve - I expect there's one around here somewhere".
"I don't suppose you can - like - use your mouth," He said.
"I don't think so." I said. "I'm just going to look in the shed.
The keys to the shed didn't seem to work. I thought it must be rusted so I gave it an extra hard twist. Snap - went the key in the lock.
I went back in and told Ed what had happened as I carried on looking for a pump valve.
"I'm not in the mood for getting stressed about little things like the shed," I said. "I'll worry about that later.
A little later I managed to borrow a pump from a neighbour. It was a big stand up one and worked a treat. We found two splits in the inner tube. I fixed the first one and he did the second one using my directions (and one that he had brought from a friend).
He thanked me repeatedly. On one occasion I said
"It's nice to be able to do something to make me feel masculine".
"He said he felt like that sometimes.
We drank tea and listened to music as we worked. Just before he left he remembered that he needed to borrow his dads spare key to get back in his house. He told me that he would get another one cut near his mums.
"That's between you and your dad." I said.