The International Contingent

Lisnaskea, Northern Ireland - Jamie - Saturday, July 13th, 2002 : goo

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Here in Ireland there's an unspoken brotherhood, an unspoken "hey how ya doing buddy?" when two non-irish people meet. I've noticed this and it is comforting. I went to but petrol today. I always go to this little place across the border. The first town across the border is called Clones (it's pronounced clo-ness, not like what they do with embryos and stem cells and shit) I go to this little place with two pumps. it's the kind of place where they fill up for you, though i always do it myself.

I check todays exchange rate. Great 20 pounds buys me 30.40 Euros of Unleaded, that's a full tank. I fill up and pay the girl, she's Italian and i notice her smile in that way that says "you're not irish" and i smile back. And i leave.

The International Contingent is growing. This is an encouraging trend. New chromosones can only be a good thing in this limited gene pool of 4 million inbreds. The first rule of genetics is spread them around a bit. it's never a great idea when cousins marry. Take the British Royal Family as a case study. Discuss.

But i digress. This unspoken kinship. The way so much can be said with a smile, just an expression, an arrangement of facial muscles that says "you're okay dude". It makes a change from the open-mouthed stares. The suspiscion. The dumb questions.

"Are you from that there London?"

"Do you have an accent?"

No. But you do.

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