<tpd>
Having made my way from the pub to the FMB bar this evening I found it very crowded, but as usual I was soon able to get a spec at the bar. I found myself adjacent to a group of four or five (mixed sex) who seemed mostly harmless... but then a chap turned up and started arguing with the lady stood next to me. Well, to be accurate, he had a brief word with her, then told another male member of the group that he "wanted to talk"... given that the bloke was clearly with another lady and remained equable throughout, this didn't seem to go anywhere.
Chap then started arguing with the lady next to me - well, arguing is a bit strong, but it was obvious that he felt he had some claim on her attention and she felt nothing of the kind. By now I was keeping the corner of my eye on things - knowing when to rapidly move a few yards away is an essential skill in such situations.
Anyway, she apparently said something that threw him into a sulk, and he came and leant on the bar on the other side of me and atempted to engage me in conversation:
"Awright?"
"Yes thanks; you?"
"It's all tulip innit."
"What, life?"
"You can't even find a decent bird in this place."
"..."
"My missis doesn't trust me..."
- at which point the lady to my left (who must have been eavesdropping - not the mark of a true lady) span round, thrust her face across me and shouted "What you sayin'?"
"I'm sayin..."
"Don't you say nothin'! I've told you, come 'ere, I wanna word with you..." - it went on like this for about ten seconds until he went back around me to speak to her. They stood a short distance from the bar, apparently under the misguided belief that this prevented their drunken slanging match from being heard by their friends, and indeed me.
After about thirty seconds he suddenly turned back and slammed his glass on the bar so hard that it exploded everywhere
Starting back, I wondered if I was about to witness a glassing (which I've only seen once before, and don't want to see again) but he stormed off towards the door. She started chasing after him but then also turned back (presumably remembering the "no glasses outside" policy) and slammed her glass on the bar next to the remains of his with equal violence - although in her case it just bounced and didn't explode
So they both stormed outside as the doormen were trying to storm inside. One let them out and watched them while another came in and asked me who had done what, so I gave him a brief account.
Weirdly, the chap and lady, having been informed in no uncertain terms that they would not be allowed back in, then stayed right outside, leaning on the window that was so grievously assaulted with an accordion the other week, deep in conversation, for above quarter of an hour
Ho hum; the staff replaced my drink (I'd just bought a fresh pint, but who knows what fragments or slivers might have landed in it) and cleared the exploded glass from the approximately six feet of bar over which it had spread. I got a couple of puncture wounds on the back of my left hand where big sharp chunks hit it and bounced off - they stopped bleeding after a minute or two, so nothing to worry about.
All this, and Saturday night yet to come. Life in the city is good
</tpd>
Having made my way from the pub to the FMB bar this evening I found it very crowded, but as usual I was soon able to get a spec at the bar. I found myself adjacent to a group of four or five (mixed sex) who seemed mostly harmless... but then a chap turned up and started arguing with the lady stood next to me. Well, to be accurate, he had a brief word with her, then told another male member of the group that he "wanted to talk"... given that the bloke was clearly with another lady and remained equable throughout, this didn't seem to go anywhere.
Chap then started arguing with the lady next to me - well, arguing is a bit strong, but it was obvious that he felt he had some claim on her attention and she felt nothing of the kind. By now I was keeping the corner of my eye on things - knowing when to rapidly move a few yards away is an essential skill in such situations.
Anyway, she apparently said something that threw him into a sulk, and he came and leant on the bar on the other side of me and atempted to engage me in conversation:
"Awright?"
"Yes thanks; you?"
"It's all tulip innit."
"What, life?"
"You can't even find a decent bird in this place."
"..."
"My missis doesn't trust me..."
- at which point the lady to my left (who must have been eavesdropping - not the mark of a true lady) span round, thrust her face across me and shouted "What you sayin'?"
"I'm sayin..."
"Don't you say nothin'! I've told you, come 'ere, I wanna word with you..." - it went on like this for about ten seconds until he went back around me to speak to her. They stood a short distance from the bar, apparently under the misguided belief that this prevented their drunken slanging match from being heard by their friends, and indeed me.
After about thirty seconds he suddenly turned back and slammed his glass on the bar so hard that it exploded everywhere
Starting back, I wondered if I was about to witness a glassing (which I've only seen once before, and don't want to see again) but he stormed off towards the door. She started chasing after him but then also turned back (presumably remembering the "no glasses outside" policy) and slammed her glass on the bar next to the remains of his with equal violence - although in her case it just bounced and didn't explode
So they both stormed outside as the doormen were trying to storm inside. One let them out and watched them while another came in and asked me who had done what, so I gave him a brief account.
Weirdly, the chap and lady, having been informed in no uncertain terms that they would not be allowed back in, then stayed right outside, leaning on the window that was so grievously assaulted with an accordion the other week, deep in conversation, for above quarter of an hour
Ho hum; the staff replaced my drink (I'd just bought a fresh pint, but who knows what fragments or slivers might have landed in it) and cleared the exploded glass from the approximately six feet of bar over which it had spread. I got a couple of puncture wounds on the back of my left hand where big sharp chunks hit it and bounced off - they stopped bleeding after a minute or two, so nothing to worry about.
All this, and Saturday night yet to come. Life in the city is good
</tpd>
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