Keef's actual big day was July 14.

But during 5 days in September, we are expecting him to age 70 years.

http://www.cafepress.com/asof.392725571

It’s on the Powell & Mason cable car line.

You’ll find it at the corner of Mason, Columbus and Greenwich.

paul

Your link to Croydon Film Commission doesn’t work! Pity, as I’m struggling to find out anything about Croydon.

The Borough Council’s website, for instance, has zero info on what’s good and/or interesting about the town and its surrounds apart from a few bare facts; famous places like the Fairfield Halls are only mentioned in passing.

http://www.surreybusiness.com and Wikipedia are more helpful.

Peter Mann

You are a wordsmith … truly a smither of words.

I laughed so hard reading this, that I almost re-enacted the table scene all over my keyboard.

=StL

I recall we all suspected that the ladies in question were themselves enjoying more than an occasional tipple. Their ruddy complexions certainly support that conclusion.

To be fair to them, they had probably drunk more than us, and according to the laws of Drink Induced Time Dilation Effect they would have been in an even more distorted time frame than us: from their perspective, the whole afternoon probably lasted less than 2 or 3 minutes – they must has been well anoyed at that pesky group of blokes by the window ordering double rounds every couple of seconds!

R.A.B.

I’ve sat and ate dinner with Round A.Bout in Popperinge after a lengthy session on the Westvelteren 12′s at the “In de Vrede” (better known as the cafe across the street from the Westvleteren Monastery) … then adjourned to the bar for a couple more drinks, only to have Round A.Bout ask me in all seriousness if we were going to have a meal that evening. Yes, he had reached that volume of drink where the time that had been spent eating that evening’s meal had ceased to exist.

Of course, an over-indulgence in drink can cause an evening’s meal to cease to exist for other reasons as well … as a sacrifice to the porcelain altar, or uncerimoniously expelled into the gutters of Maiden Lane outside the PorterHouse (or into the shrubbery in Dallas). But those are stories for another time.

And in all fairness to Round A.Bout, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him reach that point of expulsion. He doesn’t believe that the alcohol should leave his system until he is finished using it … and I admire him for that strong drinking ethos. We should all be as principled and disciplined as him.

While my knowledge of quantum mechanics is limited to the insights that I have gained from our friend, whom I will affectionately refer to as Jack No Brains, I do believe that Round does not appreciate the intent and significance of the Westvleteren Double Up. The objective of the double up is not to counteract the time dilation effect, but to accelerate it. And I’ve got the mobile phone bill to prove it.

The Westvletern 12 is arguably the best beer in the world, and at about 10.5% to 11% ABV, yes, it’s a wee bit strong.

Alas, when you visit the cafe across the street from the monastery, the service can be a bit slow, particularly for those who have pre-arranged for a taxi to pick them up at a certain hour.

So, at some point in the afternoon, the Westvleteren Double Up occurs. That is to say, ordering 2 beers each round. Sometimes it is two 12′s … sometimes it is a 12 and a blond.

I’ve searched through my archives, and found this picture, which documents the origin of the Westvleteren Double Up in 2001.

Alas, we have learned much from years past. In 2001, the first double up occurred several hours into the afternoon, when we realized that the taxi would be arriving relatively soon.

By 2006, the double up would occur in the second round. And in the final round, there was the danerous decision of doubling up the double up, for four Westvleterens each. I look forward to the future (although I think I’ve already been there during that cab ride home thanks to the drink induced time dilation effect).

My name is Puton Patel, trainee curry waiter. I clean the toilets at that restaurant … and I hate you! … too right your garments were “offensive” … I had to pick them up …. but I get my own back every day … you see, I prepare the salads without washing my hands.

Ha ha to you all!

Don’t you walk away from my window long hair, I’m talking to you!