Mik’s Mindstorms

Last Friday, Anke held here farewell party at the pub as she’s leaving for South Africa on Tuesday 28th of August. She will be doing a half year internship there and from what I’ve heard I think it’ll be a worthwhile experience. It’s a pity though we need to miss her charming presence for quite some months.

We first met Anke, I think some six or seven years ago, in the days the old pub Sally o’ Briens was still around in Heerlen and we just started visiting it. One time suddenly a shy waitress had shown up, that really did not know how to deal with our group at first, but later became part of it. I think it must have been Christian that first got her to laugh at that crazy ensemble that was having the most enjoyful time there almost every Friday and Saturday. While the rest of us was also a bit shy like Anke, or a bit aloof maybe, Christian was mostly the one getting us in touch with strangers with some weird joke, then bursting in to a very contagious laugh, which made our whole group burst in to laugher too. This would mostly result in one of two actions: (1) the person was scared away and ran to the other end of the pub, never speaking to us again, or (2) the person started to laugh and we had another friend joining the club.

Obviously, Anke was one person in the last category, and what had started from a first shy encounter now has grown into a lasting friendship. Already, we had many laughs together… For example, that time she started talking Frysian, when the lot of us, including her, had too much to drink, because the wodka cola had been very cheap that evening. Or that other night, that we were kicked out at around 4.30, when the pub already had been closed for more than one and a half hour, and we had been playing guitar and singing with our heroes, the old firm…

Then, unfortunately, after the old pub was closed, we lost contact for quite a while, but after a new pub appeared, of which we are now regular customers, she started to work there and again joined the club. It was/is great to see that familiar smile welcoming us every night we visit the pub; certainly something I’ll miss this coming half year. But, if you read this lass, I hope you have a great time in South Africa, and come back safely with a lot of beautiful memories… For those who are interested to keep updated about her adventures there, I added her blog to my blogroll, so go on and pay it a visit!