Terror by Moonlight (horror)

It is almost pitch black, moonlight the only illumination; there is no wind or sound of any description.  Being a child, still not quite eleven years of age, I should surely have been home some hours before now.  The parents would be annoyed.

Effortlessly I glide towards the house.  There is no sound from my wheelchair, nor do I feel the bumps of any rough terrain.  I briefly wonder how I will enter but am surprised to find that the front door is slightly ajar; a sense of fear suddenly grips me but I push the door open and enter.

The lights are off and there doesn’t seem to be anybody there.  I roar out “Mam,” then “Dad” but there is no response, not even a murmer.

I proceed to go down the long hall; all the doors are wide open but there’s nobody in any of the rooms.  I grow more nervous, there is something very wrong.  Somehow, i know that there will is evil in the house that I must flee.

Without hesitation, I go back out the front door and head towards the school field at the back of the house, I know I’m in danger but I have to find my family.

And I do.  There they all are perfectly aligned on the grass; their eyes wide open with blood gushing from their dead bodies.

There is no time to mourn their loss, even shed a tear as someone or something is behind me.  I go as fast as I can but it is no good, something is reaching out for me ..

I awaken in a panic to the sound of the wind howling outside.  It was just a dream, just a dream..  At least that’s what I hope.

 

 

(Inspired by a true nightmare)

A fly in the vodka (comedy)

This is a mysterious universe full of unfathomable conundrums.  Some people spend their entire lives trying to understand it that much better.  The latest theory I was reading about states that there is a fifth dimension leading to an universe that will never end as time itself is not what we think we think of it as.

Allegedly, if you could hypothetically view the universe from this fifth dimension, you could view everything that happened from the very beginning to the very end with all the possible different things that could have happened as well.

Or maybe we live in a universe with eternal inflation.  I kind of like the idea that this might be the trillionth time I’ve written this post.

But I don’t concern myself with such things, no I have much more important things to probe with my intellect.  Like what to do if a fly flies into your vodka or other alcoholic beverage and you can’t take it out.  I’m sure this has happened to almost everyone that matters (drinkers) at some stage.  Non drinkers would just never understand, alcohol is a precious resource, kind of like oil.  It doesn’t matter that you’re going to have a hangover, every drop is precious.

I’m pretty sure that we’d all agree if it was just a little midget we’d press ahead.  You probably won’t even feel it in your mouth, so just think of something else?

But what if it’s a big one?  Do you watch closely hoping not to drink it?  Life is so complicated.

I think I’d draw the line at a wasp.  I wouldn’t even have a taste but maybe I’m too squeamish?

Where should the line be drawn?

 

 

My trip to the Garda Station (comedy)

I woke to a beautiful, bright July Saturday morning and as usual went went down to have the breakfast in the kitchen with my Mam and the auld fella.

“Did he tell ya that he has to go down to the Garda Station”

“No, why?” she said looking at me half interested.

This was an excellent time to gauge what she really thought of me.

“Guess,” I replied, “maybe it’s for murder or drugs or being a pimp.  You have so many options, maybe even fraud or racketeering.”

“I don’t know.”

Then I explained to her that the Gardai were having an open day and I was heading down as it might help with the novel I’m writing.

“Oh,” she replied somewhat disappointed.

Half an hour later, I was down at the station with the Da.  In truth it was not what I expected ; I expected to see big, brawny, ugly Gardai, who would put the fear of God into me.  But they looked like ordinary people, except in uniform.  Some of the female ones looked quite pretty.  There was a carnival atmosphere, with lots of kids running around and their helicopter being the star attraction.  I just don’t how this was going to deter the kids from criminality, they looked way too happy.

I went over to have a gawk at the helicopter, always good to do a bit of reconnaissance.  It was impressive but they’d never get me and the wheelchair into it, I can now sleep that bit more soundly at night.

They had a riot stall where they seemed to be trying to teach the kids about where to hit them, when they were in full body armour.  It was nice to see them giving the future hooligans a bit of an education.

Then it was on to the drugs stall where I have to say they were so helpful.  Since college, I’ve lost touch with the drugs world.  But they had each of the drugs there and what they were called, it was just a pity I didn’t bring my gun with me and I would have been minted.

So, I learned that if I want to become a drug dealer I need to learn about this thing called “bitcoin”, which you can use to buy the drugs on something called the dark web, wherever that is.  They even told me that there’s not much fentanyl or crystal meth in Ireland, so there is huge growth potential.

You also need a good mix, as seemingly you need both uppers and downers.

They said they would need legal advice about whether a warrant would be required to search a wheelchair for drugs.  I was explaining to them that wheelchairs have improved so much, it would be a great way to transport them.

My Da then asked useful questions about the heat required for the hash.  Fair dues, he always was a bread and butter man.

The only thing that was missing from the open day was a pimp and whore section.  I’m sure they could give out lots of advice about that too.  Maybe I’ll write in to them with the suggestion..

Till next time.

Quietly Contemplating

With such busy lives, it is in ways no surprise that down time or solitude has become revered and something to be cherished.  In particular, concepts such as “mindfulness” have become mainstream.

People even go on retreats to be one with themselves.  But has it now not all gone too far.  Like everybody will surely have enough time with themselves when they’re dead!  They’ll have eternity to do absolutely nothing; guess there is a heaven for some people after all.

But that all being said, I guess everybody needs a few moments to themselves even me, I just don’t go on an expensive holiday to do so.  No, I just go and sit on the toilet.  It really is one of life’s great pleasures.

While there, you can dare I say contemplate the issues of the day, such as global warming.  In this case you can even add to the global problem at the very same time.  Oh, the simple pleasures.

If your in a civilized household you should be left in peace during this precious time, kind of like a holiday time.  If not stand your ground and defend your territory.

Another thing that has been on my mind recently is this Women’s World Cup.  Unfortunately, it appears men are not even the best at football anymore.  Well, not as good as the American women anyway.  No wonder the men don’t play it over there, they are too afraid.

I fully expect them to beat the Netherlands, just hope they are not in tears at the end like the Thai’s were.

Till next time and don’t forget to check some of my previous blog posts.

The dreaded 40s

Well the day finally came and I have now passed over the 40 threshold.  There was a time and not too long ago when I considered 40 to be positively ancient and part of me still does.  Like imagine I was born forty years ago before even Sky television, how did I even survive back then?

I often heard people say 40 is the new 30 and smirk quietly to myself that those people were utterly delusional and just trying to make themselves feel better but now I’ve got my comeuppance!

Somewhat somberly, when I heard about gangland shootings and people over 40 died, it was like “ah well”.  This has to change.  Like an epiphany I now realize 40 year old lives do matter, much more than I would have previously thought even a week ago.  Young people need to care!

The day itself went well, I have all my photos ready for “Instagram” but will anybody bother to look at them?  Like I don’t think I ever “insta’d” the photos of someone that old.  Something has to change but I just can’t put my finger on it.  Maybe I should go naked in them or something.

At least we’ve had a bit of good weather recently.  I hear they’re complaining over in France.  Like honestly a bit of heat never killed anyone; guess they just love to complain.  Bring on the global warming I say, I can’t wait.  Just so long as it stays under 27 degrees celsius, of course.

Anything hotter and I just don’t enjoy my vodka..

Till next time – Leave a message with your email if you wish to subscribe!

 

The June Blues

I’m sure that everyone in the world has heard of the January blues, but in Mullingar we have the June blues.  Every year without fail we look forward to a nice long, global warming helped thing that we call “summer”.  A mythical concept around here but it really did happen once or twice in the past, we’re told.

But what we get the vast majority of years is something completely different.  It’s like the apocalyptic world portrayed in the Matrix where the sun has been permanently blocked by heavy cloud cover.  But even there, it wasn’t raining all the time!

This naturally leads to depression from the June gloom as we call it.  The only cure is to leave Mullingar and go anywhere else.  It’s the foreigners I feel sorry for; they must wonder where things went so wrong.

It is now the 15th of June.  The most exciting thing about today is that there was briefly sunlight for like a whole five minutes.  The excitement was somewhat tempered when someone from Costa del Roscommon told me they have had lovely weather all week, only an hours drive away.  That was what I really needed to hear..

The Mullingar weather station is the coldest in the country, I checked.  The best way to survive in a place like this is to learn to enjoy other peoples’ misey.

This is almost certainly my last post before my fortieth.  As you all know in the social media age, it’s all about projecting the right image.  So for the next few days, I’m going to be busy setting up fake facebook accounts so I can send myself hundreds of happy birthday messages.  Remember these days, it’s all about quantity.

Then there’s the “party” that I need to document, which was always going to cause problems but I have a plan.  There’s now a place in Dublin to do “fake” parties for social media.  You have a few beverages beforehand so that you look appropriately jarred, head into this place where strangers take photos with you.  It really is a beautiful world.

Till next time..  Mullingar I love you really (or at least I stayed).

One long trip to Lahinch

It was with great excitement that I woke up last Friday with a trip to Lahinch for a birthday party ahead of me.  Well, you know I was still a bit bleary eyed for a half hour or so but I got myself psyched up to get out of bed; a momentous feat.

A person who we’ll call Slave Driver A was to accompany me.  Sorry, I mean Mr. A.  He was to be kind of like my personal chaffeur and carer/drinking buddy when I arrive.  I do love people who can multitask.

So we packed our stuff, voted (I’m just so responsible) and off we went.

But sometimes your day can just take on a life of its own.

We were only just outside Mullingar when a car pulled out in front of us.  For a brief second, I thought my driver, who was about to take a direct hit was a goner.  My position more to the rear of the vehicle left me quietly confident I’d be okay (I’m an optimistic type).

This would still have caused me problems though and make me a tad bit sad.  Like who would drive me to Lahinch at such short notice and where would I get another vehicle?

Fortunately, driver A used all his skills to avoid a collision and the nightmare of missing the party was averted.  So, on we went.

But I had forgotten that the more we went West, the more we were leaving civilization.  Mullingar is surrounded by beautiful motorways that mostly go in straighlines over the flat midland topography.

Out West, they have the Corkscrew where you climb a kilometre in a series of tight zig zag bends.  It was far from this sort of thing that I was reared.

The Midlands is full of green and lush with vitality.  In the West they have lots of stones and hills, but most of all bumpy roads that my lovely ass is not accustomed to.  I can see why Cromwell thought it would be a good spot for the natives.

So, on and on we drove before our will to keep going sapped from us and we stopped in Lisdoonvarna.  It’s hard to believe such a small spot has such a grip on the national consciousness but it’s a place full of surprises, especially when you see the armed Garda Response Unit racing about the place and closing roads.  Having had a lovely meal and strangely, still no drink, we continued to our next stop – The Cliffs of Moher.

The gale blowing in detracted nothing from their beauty.  This was the third time to see them and to be honest I think they’re way more impressive than the Giants Causeway in the North.  The scenery is awesome and I do have to admit that, even as a lover of flat terrain.

In true millennial spirit from two old fogeys, we made sure to get our instagrammable photos.  I’ve learned over many years of using social media that it’s very important to make other people jealous.  Otherwise you will have no friends and nobody will like you.

Then it was the last hop to Lahinch to the actual party of Mr G.

The best thing about going to birthdays is it reminds you that your friends are getting older just like you.  A tad disappointingly, he has not been cursed by baldness or grey hair but the day will come.

In truth there were only a few times that I noticed the difference between his eighteenth and his forthieth birthdays.  Well for one, his fairly grown up children but even more so how his judgement on wheelchair accessibility has improved over the years.

This time when I asked about whether the disco was accessible  he gave me kind of a so so response.  Indeed the footpath was a bit difficult to get up on but nothing too bad.

But if his eighteen year old self had given me that same response, it would have mean’t I was fucked;  that the plan was the lift me up a flight of stairs and hopefully there would be a few soberish people at the end of the night to get me down someway alive.

At the disco/nite club I got some Oasis played.  All the young people there must have been rightly befuddled.  It was a bit of a change from the rave that was going on, but surely even they can admit that nineties music was the best.

Then just at the end of the night, a young lad asked if he could ask me a personal question.  As every lad in a wheelchair knows, this is almost always a dick question and to be honest I thought it an unusual time/place to ask but always curious, I told him to fire ahead.

I had my answer all ready when he asked a totally different question.  His heart was in the right place.  I guess after drinking lots and lots of vodka, I shouldn’t be quite so quick to judge walkers.

I had a great night and I do of course, love the West.  As well, happy birthday to Mr. G and a special thanks to my good friend, Mr. A.

Update 22nd April 2019

Well readers, it’s been a while, so I decided I better give you a quick update.  So I’m now over 20,000 words into my novel “The Irish Ripper”.  I would have liked to be a bit more into it but such is life.  Still pretty sure it will be over 50,000 words by the time its finished, such a long way to go..

Still haven’t completed my application form for the job opening.  There are just so much more interesting things to do in the world.

The weather is lovely here at the moment and it’s only April, this global warming thing is great altogether.  I might finally get that Meditteranean climate I was promised all those years ago.  So remember everyone, keep burning that coal, go on unnecessary drives and chop down those trees!

Interviews

Love them or hate them, interviews are now part and parcel of modern life despite all the studies that have shown they are a waste of time and just promote narcissists.  Just like The Kardashians.

Nowadays because their flaws have become so widely known, they’ve become an even bigger pain in the ass.  There was a time when you could do up a CV and send it in to different jobs.  But that just doesn’t cut it anymore.  Now the application form is intrinsic to your future, still hypothetical interview.

Yes you might have guessed it readers (depending on your intelligence level), I’m going to apply for a new position.  So, I won’t get fired or whatever, I’m not saying where (see I’m so smart, sort of).  This necessitates me filling in the application form.  No, a CV is not acceptable – it says so.

The first part is fairly bog standard.  Like where you say you have this degree or that one.  Whatever comes to mind really.  Just buy the diploma for whatever they want over the internet.  Why do they even bother?

But then they want you to write essay type answers about how you managed people bla bla bla and other such things.  At least my creative writing skills will come in handy.  Only 200 words each though so kind of like writing flash fiction except much more boring.

My real problem is after all this effort, you’re not even guaranteed the job!  I should know, this has happened me a few times.

Like what a waste of time.  Maybe they just like my stories too much.

Till next time readers.

Nuclear War & Personal Assistants

I was watching a very interesting youtube video the other day.  Something to cheer me up on an otherwise dreary and depressing day.

There are an estimated 15,000 nuclear warheads in the world.  That’s three nuclear warheads or bombs for every city with a population of one hundred thousand people or more.  Roughly half of the worlds population would be immediately obliterated.

I know what your thinking readers – so, not too bad then.  I do feel sorry for all the people with disabilities that would die.  That would be a tragedy.

But Mullingar would be just fine.  In fact, the sky would be filled with pretty colours.  I used to worry about a nuclear winter but apparently the world would only get one or two degrees cooler for a few decades.  Global warming would be solved!

There would of course be dead zones for a few thousand years but I could take or leave Dublin anyway, no real loss.

But then during my pleasant daydream I felt something uncomfortable.  Would my PAs still show up for work in the apocalypse (worrying times indeed)?  It dawned on me that I may be the first ever person to think of this problem.

Like, who would get the charred bodies out of my way?

Fortunately, I have a solution.

We could insert something into their brains that will cause them immense pain if they don’t show up.  I’m such a genius, I will immediately write to the Taoiseach.

Till next time