Banter has taken all the fun out of craic

MAYBE it was just that I got a bit carried away when the doorbell rang. In a self-employed house we don’t meet too many people so the doorbell brings a frisson of excitement. It used to ring a lot more, but we put up a rather stern sign listing all the people we didn’t want calling.

This happened after a few months during which we were subjected to so many consumer surveys asking our views, we were afraid that too many big decisions would be taken by companies based our choices. The sign on the front door also says no junk mail. This largely works apart from the fellas dropping in the leaflets for the “Poor People Clothing Please Help”. It’s like they are saying: “Sorry but we’re afraid your sign relates only to legal activities. Since we are a bogus charity with links to the Lithuanian mafia, we consider ourselves to be exempt.”

This particular doorbell signalled the arrival of a delivery from the takeaway so was doubly a cause for excitement. The magic brown paper bag that materialises out of the darkness is about as good value as cinema popcorn or an Easter Egg, but feck it, it’s one of the things you can do as an adult that gives you a bit of childish giddiness.