OGGY. OGGY, OGGY

I am not a pub goer, nor am I one to join in on ward nights out.
In actual fact in the 6 years we have been in Wales I have turned up at no more than four works do's , so catching me socialising with colleagues with a beer in my hand is a rare event.
Last night I was glad I made the effort as the reason for the celebration was the fact that Roy, one of the senior staff nurses, was leaving for pastures new in London.
Over ten years ago, finding staff for critical care areas such as intensive care was difficult and many Hospital Trusts looked to a "foreign" pool of nurses to plug the gaps so to speak. In Sheffield large groups of beautiful Spaniards arrived "en masse" while at ITU in North Wales it was the hardworking Filipinos that arrived, and around a decade later eight of them still remain on our unit.
Roy was one of these staff. A talented and well respected nurse he proved to be one of our unit's best assets, and I wanted to break my usual habit of not turning up to a night out to offer him by best wishes.


 A small tidy wine bar in Prestatyn was chosen as the venue. Usually quiet and relatively "classy" for North Wales, I thought the place appropriate for a measured pint and chat.....hummm ......how wrong I was.......
 I had forgotten it was St Patrick's Day, I had forgotten that Wales had won the Grand Slam at Rugby and  had forgotten that all of the Prestatyn "rednecks" were on the prowl on a Saturday night..
The place looked and sounded like something out of the wild west.
Zombiefied , beer goggled over weight men  in red rugby shirts leered over orange faced shrieking women as I pushed my way though the front door.and my hope of having a delightful time over a couple of crisp pinots literally flew out of the window .


In the end it was lovely to pass on my good wishes, and a chat over several slightly watery Budweisers  
it WAS  fun.
But I was sure I was  standing outside the bar exactly at 11pm so Chris could get me the hell out of there!

20 comments:

  1. I did laugh John, we're so alike in that way. I accept these invites and spend the next week moaning and groaning about it and saying "why on earth did I say I'd go?".

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  2. Good on Wales for their Grand Slam win.

    I warned my fellow Australians to beware of the 'Men in Red' this season and they thought I was crazy - "The Welsh team is full of fat old men who sing better than they play!" I was told!

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  3. I was exhausted after the match; but it was worth it.

    Da iawn Cymru!!!

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  4. Those facial dragons are rather well executed. Your mention of Roy's qualities reminds me of the quiet wonderful woman in charge of my mother's wing when she first went into a nursing home. She was diligent and respectful and it felt unbearable to know that her husband and children still lived in the Filipines.

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  5. Well yes John - it was sure a good day for the Welsh and the Irish yesterday. When will it be our turn I wonder. Like you I am not very good at joining in 'celebrations' and usually refuse such invitations. When I do accept I usually enjoy them up to a point.

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  6. It's a shame when you just want a quiet celebratory/moving-on drink with someone and the place is heaving with crazies practically tearing the place apart. But I'm sure Roy appreciated the send-off!

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  7. Anonymous11:51 am

    Apparently the university area and down town were a bit of a mess here last night as well. Good night to stay off the roads.

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  8. Our St. Paddy celebration didn't quite turn out as planned either John.

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  9. You're a good man, braving all that nonsense for the sake of a co-worker! :)

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  10. Glad that you went, for Roy's sake – and he does sound rather lovely. Nothing worse than a bunch of rowdy drunks, though.

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  11. Haha. I would have been ready to run, too. Definitely not my scene.
    Glad you got to wish Roy well though.

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  12. "...Usually quiet and relatively "classy" for North Wales" - By that I guess you mean there were spitoons.

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  13. Anonymous4:27 pm

    I doubt the "wild west" has seen that mix of beer-swilling crazies. And Budweisers?

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  14. When I was in the hospital here in the U.S. 5 years ago, I was amazed at the collection of foreign nurses. Every time the shift changed I felt as if I were in another foreign country. I would't care except I know at least 4 young people in their mid 20's who were born in the U.S. who have been trying to get into nursing school for several years. Their ability and grades are not the problem, it's that their is no space for them. The classes are cut, there are no instructors, etc. So our own kids are flipping burgers while we import people for decent jobs. I hate that.

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  15. The last photo is obviously an Irishman who'd just heard the England /Ireland rugby score.
    Jane x

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  16. Oh dear, works dos of any sort - to be avoided I always think. I seldom make 11pm.

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  17. My son said it was a bit of a party in Aberyswyth - tricky for him being so obviously English but his Welsh girlfriend seems to gain him honoury membership

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  18. I'm glad you were there for Roy, but i agree, i'm not much for the bar scene.

    megan

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  19. Joining with everyone else. It was a really nice gesture - but sometimes even half an hour in a bar is too long.

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