Eoin Butler: writer, journalist and Mayoman of the Year
Tripping Along The Ledge
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IF MY STOMACH WERE A HAIRCUT…
…it’d be one or other of these. Probably the one on the left, to be honest.
Sick today… Haven’t been able to keep down as much as a glass of water since morning. I really hope it’s not swine flu. As a freelancer, of course, there’s no such thing as calling in sick. I managed to offload one interview (thanks Laurence!) But I still gots to get paid, so I insisted on going ahead with the other. Bad call. It was set for 1.30pm, later rescheduled for 2.30, 4.30 and 5.30pm. When I finally arrived at the photographer’s studio, I was sweating and barely able to climb the stairs. I asked (half-jokingly) if there was a bathroom nearby, just in case. And, let’s just say, it was a good job I did.
I probably don’t need to spell out what happened around, ah, I’m going to say three times (it could have been four) in following twenty minutes. Luckily, the photographer happened to be someone I know, so he was cool about it. That generosity of spirit may, of course, be tested, if it turns out I’ve just given the poor bastard swine flu.
On the plus side, I’ve been excused from babysitting duties for a week. Anyway, I finished the goddamn interview and am transcribing it as we speak. But there are days, I’ll admit though, when I wonder would I be better off just working in the bank…
October 7th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
But we’re all going to get swine flu at some stage, aren’t we? Better that you get it now while it’s still somewhat hip and edgy.
I reckon I won’t catch it until it’s gone entirely mainstream and I’m left scuttering my pants with the Rod Stewart of viral infections, not even eliciting the tiniest amount of curiosity as to what breed of person I’ve been sleeping with.
October 7th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Well, I’m not sure how edge it is. It’s the Lily Allen rather than, say, early Velvets of viral infections… Everyone’s heard of it, but it’s still got a certain cachet.
October 7th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
P.S. Had a look at your site – happy Birthday Andrew! I’m even older than you again, and I’m still cool… right?
October 7th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Cheers. I was tempted to try and make you feel old by saying that I grew up reading your pieces in Mongrel. But that would be a lie, as I was in my early twenties.
October 8th, 2009 at 12:01 am
Well, for what it’s worth you don’t cease being cool just cos you turn a certain age. I think its more about turning a certain way.
Like when I started blogging about child-minding…. That was where it all went wrong… I was still just about on the cusp, I think, right up to that point!
October 8th, 2009 at 12:10 am
Ah, you just went and blog-rolled me! Thanks, I’m all tickled.
Good luck with the illness, may the world not fall out of your bottom.
October 8th, 2009 at 12:55 am
Yeah, all the kids in my class in primary school class used to love Mongrel… Christian Brothers would hit you an awful clatter if you were caught with a copy.
October 8th, 2009 at 1:13 am
Yes, yes… As I recall, the magazine’s original editorial staff consisted of me, Smiley Bolger and Larry Gogan. And a bunch of hip young gunslingers we were too back then, I can tell you.
Jimmy Magee had a sports column and one of our delivery boys was a Young Master Brennan… Who, I believe, he went on to achieve some renown in the sliced pan trade… was it?
October 8th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Ah yes…. Jimmy Magee – he was just eye candy back in those days, wasn’t he?
October 8th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
So who else wants an update on eoin’s bowel movements?
October 8th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
@ Marlon – yes, he was something of a pin up in those days
@ Matt – the people have spoken…!