It's always interesting, the first few moments of a hangover. Like a thief in the night consciousness creeps back into the mind, desperate not to make a disturbance in case pain wakes up. So begins the slow process of quietly levering open the eyes for a brief glimpse of the hopefully familiar surroundings. Undoubtedly there is a hangover waiting to pounce, all the warning signs are there. Eyes glued shut - check. Part of the Sahara camped in the mouth - check. The moisture once contained in mouth dribbled over the pillow - check. A distinct feeling that your head is several sizes too small - check. No memory of how you got here, or where here is - double check. Time for the time honoured game of 'who am I?', or for the Buddhists out there, 'which life is this'? A part of me argues that asking the thief to rummage through the memory cupboards is asking for the splintering crash of a particularly delicate memory being dropped onto a hard floor, but surely the risk is worth the prize, it might turn out that pain waking up is the least of our troubles.... True to nature our thief is discovering that finding what you want in an unfamiliar house is harder than it looks, memories of childhood while pleasant enough wont get much on the 'is this time to panic or not?' market, even with Chipper Wyatt himself running the auction. Hard facts are in demand, the more recent the better. Having finally found the safe of last nights memories it seems that pain has woken up. Earth shattering pounding in the head - triple check. Our thief finds it hard to concentrate while pain is simultaneously gouging him in the eyes and clubbing the back of the head. With an armful of memories he bolts, but pain is hot on his heals now that it is wide awake and spoiling for a fight. To weigh up whether it's been worth the risk best have a peak at his haul of memories: something about human ferrets (?), Ash Jordan shooting hoops, cheap vodka (in a tree house?), plenty of rain, hard to find gravy, the clicking of rolling dice,...etc etc..... While confused our theif relaxes a little at the lack of any handcuff/long flight/jail related memories. Perhaps there's a bit of time to doze and sift through the memories...
New years eve 2006 |