Gathering 12a, I'm not superstitious...

Slam it to the left if you're having a good time...



SLAAAAMMMMM!!!


Now that was much better.  For once the Tap & Spile Twilight Zone failed to
provide much in the way of external entertainment, and so we were required,
nay, forced, to rely on our own abilities to generate fun and amusement.

Much to everyone's surprise, this we actually managed to do...


So, starting the evening off at ten past seven, with the arrival of
Andy 3, we got into some serious wurbling about, ooh, pretty much everything.
From Demon Internet, to house hunting in the North-East, via the new
Security Manual, and stopping off en-route to pick over the assault on B5
during Severed Dreams.  

About half seven saw the arrival of Ian, with Anna (a new initiate :-) in tow.
Introductions are made, drinks are obtained and things are said.  None of
which are interesting, amusing or rude enough to feature here...

10 minutes later, Keith arrives bearing food.  10 seconds later, the unusually
jobsworth barstaff are asking him to take the food outside.  Excuse me?  What
about every other time we've been in here, eating food, and you not taking
a blind bit of notice?  Something was definitely up with the T & S this evening,
it certainly didn't have its normal aura of wierdness and mystery.

Anyway, whilst Keith munched away somewhere out in the inky blackness that
is a Newcastle evening, Ian suggested a discussion of something light
and fluffy... like the Starfury Physics Thread (TM).  Yew Bastid!
And don't go blaming Anna, just because she's doing astrophysics doesn't
mean she wants to spend her evenings arguing about things being dropped,
thrown or otherwise propelled from spinny things in space.
Somehow we managed to avoid getting drawn too deeply into the whole
thing, and after a couple of abortive attempts at drawing the solution,
we left it hanging somewhere near Proxima Centauri.

Keith returned to the fold just as we concluded, which perhaps suggests
that the barstaff weren't so much bothered about him eating food, but
were merely making sure he missed the whole discussion.  Which is probably
the best thing you could do with one of these things.


Eight o'clock arrived, bringing with it something that looked not entirely
unlike the man they call Nick.  Unfortunately, it also appeared to drag in
some very dodgy jokes, which certain members of the group felt necessary
to share with us all.  Thanks guys (you know who you are...)


Anna, somewhat bravely, revealed herself...





Umm, sorry, had to go answer the phone.  Where was I.... 

yada yada revealed herself to be a Man United fan.  Still, we Geordies
(or those who've been here long enough to have been adopted by the city)
know how to respond to this sort of thing.  Lemme see, what was the name
of that great cop show with Jack Lord?  Oh yes, Howay Five-Oh...
Aah, the memories, they are sweet :-)  But just remind us again Ian, what 
time did the match finish?  Aye, that's right, five past Schmeichel...

Tee hee.


But enough of the ManU bashing, back to serious issues.

Which, I see from my notes, was a quite decent (by our musical standards)
rendition of "Jacob & Sons".  Can't quite recall why we started singing
it, but that just makes it all the more fun.  And a nice change from the
sort of things we've been performing at the last few G's...


Oh look, the Tap & Spile finally manages to muster up enough energy to
provide us with one tiny bit of street theatre.  And not a terribly great
bit at that.  One bloke in an Afghan coat riding a Chopper up the
street.  Well yip-a-dee-doo-dah, ain't that just grand.  (Clue:  "No" is
the correct answer).
What is it with the T & S tonight?  Half full, odd selection of music, 
officious staff, and a lack of atmosphere.  Sad, very sad.

Coming up on quarter to eleven, so the Nick and the Keith depart for
wherever it is they need to depart to.  Hmm, depart to, wasn't he that
French actor with a big nose?

No, nice Narn, put the bat down, there's a good lad...


Owww, Mommy, he hit meeeeeee...


Just as well I'm almost done here, it hurts to type now.  After the 
excellence of the earlier musical renditioning, Ian decided it might
be a good idea to raise the roof, the tone and the spirits, by
going for one almighty burst of "King of the Road".

He failed.

Not by much.

But then, history only remembers the victors...


So, since the bar staff were now turning the lights out on us (which,
like everything else T & S related tonight, has never happened before),
the four of us decided it would be a reasonably sensible idea to
leave.  Which we therefore did.


And that, as they say, is that.  Ignoring the fact that I was in
a bloody good mood anyway, it was a night of joy, fun, and seasons
in the sun...  and all the rest of it.


A Minbari gesture of friendship and greeting to Anna, a Centauri wave
of thanks to the rest of the group, and a cold hard Narn stare of
disgust for the T & S.  For once, I'm left hoping not for the Gathering
to improve next time, but for the venue...


Be seeing you
Chris

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