| Expectations & Footy Camaraderie |
Jun 13, 2008 4:47 pm
Mood: Pleased, 465 Views | It's a city I am not as familiar with. Perhaps that suited me as I find myself strangely reluctant to be in company recently. The demands of people on my time and attention irk me and it is with a slight petulance that I hoard the precious hours I have to myself.
I was, therefore, rather ambivalent about a social obligation in an establishment I did not know. I did not see my evening panning out well.
Still, I put on my best social demeanour and met a couple for snacks, a couple of beers and my ubiquitous shisha, as we watched the two games on Euro 2008. Yes, I bring my own. I usually check that the place I am going to will allow me to bring my shisha if I am going to be spending any length of time there.
The first game was slightly boring but I ended up being on the phone most of the time anyway as an old friend insisted that we caught up on the phone.
I knew the Holland vs France game would be a kicker when the former scored a goal within the first 10 minutes. The male member of the couple and I were settling in for an evening of gloating over the predominantly French supporters ... when the usual problem with going out with your girlfriend happened.
She got bored. She wanted to go home.
So off they went. Leaving me in a strange pub alone. Not that I minded as the owners had very sweetly given me the best sofa right in front of the giant screen with my shisha and alkie by my side. And a giant platter of chips. I was a happy camper. I finally got some time to myself.
However, a single woman alone in a pub watching footy is usually a concept that yields to harsh reality.
Blokes started encroaching upon my oasis.
"Can we join you?"
"No."
Finally, a Chinese bloke very politely asked if he could just sit adjacent to my haven as there were no seats left. Out of pity (yes, I do possess some modicum of that), I said yes.
He turned out to be a bookie. We talked about odds and ended up sharing a pitcher of beer and some snacks. He was a nice guy. His English was a bit hard to follow at times but he was from Italy so I understood when he said "funkulo" (sp?) every time the French goalkeeper fell asleep on the post.
It's a pity we were supporting opposite teams.
I tried to be gracious but I admit to loud cheering, fist pumping in the air and obnoxious gloating every time Holland scored a goal.
The place got so packed with people that I even allowed Two french blokes to share my space. They were silent most of the time so they were tolerable.
At the end, the pub owners gave me some beers on the house as they were the other lone Holland supporters besides me. Happy WHF indeed.
When the game threw a surprise of a final goal of humiliation in the last 3 minutes, my cheering was so loud that my French tablemates had to grin and offered to buy me more drinks, despite their despondency. Brilliant. I like gracious losers.
They all offered to drive me back to my hotel. But I do not go off anywhere with strange men and told them my shisha would protect me on my way back to the hotel. It's true. Shisha bags can be lethal. I have walloped quite a few people with mine in my time. Usually without meaning to.
In the taxi, my taxi driver immediately cottoned onto the fact I had just returned from watching the match. We got into conversation about the games thus far. He was so happy to see a foreigner talk about footy, and a female one at that, that the ride was on the house. I shared my mints with him and he gave a choccie bar.
It turned out to be a pretty cool evening despite my earlier misgivings. I got free booze, which is always a good thing. People were super nice to me. Even better. I got a nice and generous taxi driver. Which is an anomaly.
And best of all, I got choccie!
I am a happy camper.
P/S. I am not a footy fan but I like any game that is well played and with passion. | |
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