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Ireland in a truck

LAST UPDATED : 30 June 2008 at 10:09:59

It was the year 1984. I had a twofold excuse to adventure overseas as I'd just finished University and my brother was getting married in Ireland.

After jigging, singing and drinking all night at the ceremony, the following day I continued my traveling plans and hitchhiked around the south of Ireland, naively trusting my fate in the hands of Irish drivers.

On my last day a sleepy looking truck driver offered to take me to Dublin.

After ten minutes into the journey he politely asked me take over the wheel. Conceding that I had two choices, either to be let out in the middle of nowhere 8 o'clock at night or become an Irish TAC victim, I swallowed my hesitation and agreed.

Driving along I momentarily pictured myself, an inexperienced 22 year old woman peering nervously over the wheel of a truck with a sleeping leprechaun next to me.

For the first hour I got into a rhythm on the open road, but as I approached the narrow streets in the townships with cars parked randomly outside the pubs, I panicked.

Then I felt myself veering towards a Mercedes Benz, like a magnet was pulling me to the most expensive car in the street. CRASH! BANG! I woke the sleeping leprechaun and slowly several glassy eyed men holding their precious Guiness glasses emerged from the local hotel.

My entire world became suddenly dark and ominous. Then without any rhyme or reason they invited me and the truck driver into the pub for a drink or two or three. They had me laughing and talking until all hours,then ironically the drunk and sleepy truck driver drove me safely into Dublin at the dawn of light.

EMAIL : Lizziem_m@yahoo.com

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