Sunday in the Pub With Neil

Having spent the night over my friend, Mucky Sarah's, flat, I started feeling hungry on Sunday morning. After hinting to a newly awakened Sarah that I desired sustenance, she graciously provided a piece of fruit. Realizing that one piece of fruit, while being an excellent start to the day, wouldn't sustain me for long, I gently inquired what her meal plans were. She responded by saying that she usually does Sunday roast. Of course, I mistook her "doing" Sunday roast for meaning that she actually cooked a Sunday roast dinner, as is traditional in Britain. I later learned that what Sarah meant was going to a pub and buying a roast dinner, served there.
Sarah received a telephone call from Neil, her ex-boyfriend. Neil and Sarah remain good friends, she assures me. I suspect that he still holds some interest in her, beyond friendship. The upshot of this telephone call was that Sarah was invited to meet Neil at a pub. I wondered whether I would be included, or cast aside. I needn't have worried, because Sarah expressed her intention to bring me along, before the phone conversation ended. I had mixed feelings about this development. Although I had heard Sarah speak about Neil on many occasions, I had yet to actually meet him. What would he think of me? Would he think there was something going on between me and her? I had already gathered that exactly that suspicion had occurred to him, based on overheard segments of the phone conversation. There is almost always a tension between strange males, when they come face to face in the presence of a woman.
Sarah decided that it would be best if we drove in separate cars, so I followed her to the pub. She brought her lovely little dog along, as the pub in question permits dogs to enter. Despite leaving late, we arrived there ahead of Neil. Walking through the door, I was surprised to discover the pub was empty of customers, except for us. It was July 1st, the first day of England's new smoking ban. I wondered if the ban was contributing to the low pub turnout, as it was now illegal to smoke in a pub. The woman behind the bar said the place had been packed the night before. They had a party to celebrate the last day of legal smoking, which the woman thought was causing people to be late getting out, this day. Even the food was running late and she advised us that the roast dinners wouldn't be ready until about 3PM. As it was already a little past 2PM, we didn't have long to wait.
Sarah bought me a drink and we set ourselves up at a moderately sized table. Even the dog had a drink, enjoying a bowl of water. After half an hour, Neil walked in. He looked older than I had been expecting and shared the trait, with me, of wearing glasses. He seemed very standoffish, at first, but gradually, we warmed to each other. By the time the food arrived, we had teamed up to tease Sarah about her refusal to eat certain meats and vegetables. All too soon, it was time for Neil to go. He left first, then Sarah. I stayed behind for a bit, enjoying one more drink before hitting the road. Don't worry, I was drinking sparkling water, all day.

Going To the Dogs

Yesterday, Chelsea Football Club Manager, Jose Mourinho was arrested at his West London home. His crime? Obstructing police and rabies inspectors, who'd come to his home to put his dog in quarantine. "Authorities" suspect the dog was brought back from Portugal, Mourinho's homeland. Jose insists the dog was bought here, in England. Mourinho was later released without charge, being let off with a warning. The dog is still on the lamb. Britain has very strict anti-rabies legislation and dogs from abroad must be quarantined, or get one of the new doggie passports.
This is the state of policing in the UK, these days. It's not as if there aren't any serious crimes to contend with, yet the police are repeatedly wasting their time over nonsense. Just the other day, Chris Tarrant, host of ITV's, "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire," was arrested on suspicion of assault, for allegedly throwing a piece of cutlery at a member of the public, while dining at an Indian restaurant. When famous people like these are subjected to these time wasting arrests, how much of the taxpayer's money is being wasted? What is the carbon footprint of arresting the millionaire, Jose Mourinho? Thank goodness the pooch remains at large.

Some Commentary

I feel like I have been a bit remiss over the past couple of weeks. I haven't commented on quite a few things that have been going on in the world outside my personal life. There is too much for me to catch up writing a blog article about each item, so I have decided to post some brief comments on some of the things that have caught my attention, here.
Fines for being caught using a mobile (cell) phone handset while driving have doubled, here in the UK. For the first time, penalty points will accrue to licenses, if you are caught. What a load of crap. Are people in Britain somehow less capable of driving a car than people in other places? While the totalitarian State of New York has joined the nanny state band wagon and also banned handset use while driving, some places in America don't seem to have. I see people driving and using handsets in American TV shows all the time. As most American TV shows are filmed in California, it leads me to suspect that California hasn't succumbed to the lure of banning handset use yet. I hope one of my California readers will comment and confirm whether that is so, or not. Newsflash Bozos...it doesn't take having two hands constantly on the wheel to drive safely. Mobile phones were originally intended to be used while driving. Studies show that talking with a hands-free kit is just as distracting as using a mobile without a hands-free kit. What's next? Banning conversation in cars?
Not to be less than thorough, the terrocrats here are prosecuting people caught eating while driving and drinking non-alcoholic beverages while driving. If you weren't meant to drink while driving, they wouldn't have invented cup holders. When you are stuck in bumper to bumper London traffic, during the morning commute, you might as well have an egg McMuffin.
The man who would be Emperor (i.e. Prime Minister), Gordon Brown, continues to come out with daft suggestions. Recently, Gordo has suggested that immigrants should be required to do community service before becoming British Citizens. As an immigrant, let me say the following. Sod you, Gordo. Most of us immigrants work hard at jobs that native Brits turn their noeses up at and for less pay. If you don't require community service from native born, why should you from us? Why don't you get your own, power hungry ass out there and do community service? Actually, just disappear as that would be the best service you could do anyone in this country.
Not to be outdone, Prince Charles called for McDonald's to be banned to promote a healthier lifestyle. Maybe princes should be banned, to promote a saner lifestyle.
Scotland Yard confessed that police are hunting more than 4,000 suspects who have jumped bail over the last two years. Maybe if they weren't so busy trying to stop motorists from eating some crisps while driving, they'd have time to attend to the bail jumpers.
That's enough for now. I'm hungry.