Tag Archives: Monkeybar

Written by Josephine, edited slightly by me –>

A Brief History of New Year’s Eve:

* Ron and Amar come over and have a couple of brews to get things started with Jos and I
* We meet up with Caffrey, Rhett, Ed, and Paolo at Kingshead Pub. The attendance consists of us and about five others. Still, Steve and Paul’s cover band Monkey Bar kept us pumped.
* People started seeping in and finally the place was kickin’. Plus Stash, Brian, Weldon and Nelson eventually ended up with us too and we were like some unbreakable St. Pat’s fan force for our past high school teacher Steve. A year after first seeing him play live, I’m still impressed that come sunset, our old Catholic private high school teacher turns rockstar.

* Steve made Jos’s night when he dedicated Land Down Under to her last night, the same song he dedicated to her at his last show she saw before she left Vancouver one year ago.
* After hours of moshing/dancing, midnight came and went, Ron and co. taxied home and the rest of us headed down the street to Malone’s.
* Some creepy old guy tried to impress Jos with his Sci-Fi knowledge and also by using the contentment he feels from sledge-hammering as a construction worker as an allusion to “many other things” Eugh! She was sure he’d be a nice guy if he weren’t trying to pick up, but unfortunately he was, so it was her intent to cut off conversation with him. That is until he offered to buy both her and Nelson doubles. How often does a guy get offered a drink?! They couldn’t say no.
* A few minutes later (the gin and tonics done) Nelson walks away. Jos mouthes “save me” but he keeps walking!!!
* Two minutes pass and Nelson returns running! He grabs Jos’s arm and yells “Quick! your brother’s getting beat up outside!” She freaked out and sprinted after him right out of the bar. She was ready to destroy whoever was hurting me.
* Then Nels tells her that was the “save”…. It was so believable even she bought it! My only injury was my popped knee cap from dancing a little too vigorously.

* We walk across the bridge towards downtown with a random Australian.
* We shout “Happy New Year!” to all passerby, sometimes inquiring into their night. She asked one man if he was just getting off work (yes he answered). A minute more’s conversation led to receiving his business card and being offered his services if we have any upcoming private parties. He walked away and she looked at the business card and laughed. His company title was “Boys of summer” and the front of the card was a glossy photo: the very same man wearing construction boots and short shorts, skin glistening with oil, and he posing provocatively. The people you meet at 3:30am on New Year’s Day…
* A failed series of attempts to get into bars (that all close by 4am) ended in a much needed meal at Denny’s.
* We lost the Australian somewhere along the way, Ed and Amar bused to Ron’s place, and Nelson, Jos and I got home at 6 am. Just enough energy left for a ping pong showdown in the basement before crashing.