The Spanish Party

In 2001, we were invited to a birthday party in southern Spain (those were the days). It took place about a week after 9/11 had crashed into our collective consciousness.

On arrival, we made our way to a local restaurant as instructed. As we waited, old friends started appearing, to shouts of general delight and merriment. One Irish couple, G and Big D, we hadn’t seen for at least a decade. We got started on some serious catching up.

At one point Big D said to Mr McG….or A as we agreed to call him: “I hear you’re spending a lot of time in New York these days?”

A said: “Yes I am actually...although not recently of course.”

Big D responded: “Oh? Why not recently?”

A looked at him: “Well, you know, given events.”

Big D asked: “And what events would that be then?”

A paused...and finally said: “Well...um...you know? The World Trade Centre? The planes ...crashing into them??” While thinking: he’s pulling my leg, they cannot be the ONLY people in the whole world unaware of what’s just happened. Even in Ballyhoola, they MUST have telly, newspapers...!! He HAS to be pulling my leg.

Big D also paused and considered, and then grabbed A and shook him, exclaiming: “You’re SUCH A FOKKIN LIAR McG... you always were!”

It turned out that they actually WERE the only people in the whole world not to be aware of 9/11. They’d been touring Spain for the preceding week and, unable to speak Spanish, had ignored all hotel TVs and newspapers.