Origin 3 Antics

After another big drive we made it to Danny’s house for about 4pm, maybe 3… I can’t remember exactly it was several months ago. Yes, I know I should have updated my blog more frequently but when you see the posts you’ll get why.

We arrived and I probably smelt like a sweaty shoe, I was certainly dirty enough given the lack of showering. After brief hellos I went and hid in the shower… hid, I mean… look over there. The last thing you want to do when you meet new people, especially ones you want to become friends with, is smell bad. So I got a shower, then it was Phil’s turn to jump in the shower. Oh goodness, this would be awkward, given these guys are Phil’s friends of several years what was I going to talk to them about?

Turns out, Danny is unbelievably easy to talk to and just as nice a person. He was so easy to get along with that I never realised Phil and Danny had never actually met in person. Anyone who has gamer friends can understand how you can become friends with someone even if you’ve never met them. After chatting to Danny and his brother, Corey, for a while with Phil, Mitch turned up. Mitch was just as easy to get along with but he didn’t stay long enough for me to get to know him much as he was off with another group of friends to watch O3. When Wayne turned up the dynamics changed, he was such a character, loud, animated and funny. This was looking to be a good night with a good bunch of people.

Wayne hadn’t seen Phil in a long time, but none of that seemed to matter. Being at Danny’s felt like I’d popped over to hang out with a bunch of friends like we always did, even though I’d never spoken to any of them before (apart from when I replied to messages in preparation for our arrival when Phil was driving). We went out to the pub; Danny very kindly drove us there. We had most of the group supporting QLD, and by most I mean only Danny was supporting NSW, Danny and three others in the pub. More people arrived, most of whom I don’t remember, it was dark, it was crowded and I was drinking. Phil was also drinking, gosh was he drinking. Beer actually comes in real pints in QLD, not like Adelaide with their pretend pints. It was like the scene in LotR when Wayne arrived at the table with his pitcher and pint glass, “It comes in pints? I’m getting one!” Phil didn’t just get one, he got several, and pitchers too. Then Wayne and Phil bought beers to take back to the house.

I think Wayne’s hat took most of my attention that night, it was a Maroons dread hat, and I loved it and spent time plaiting it on Phil’s head, since it wouldn’t stay on my tiny head properly. Once the Maroons had annihilated NSW, much to Danny’s disappointment, and after I had elaborated an even ruder version of a NSW player’s song, we headed home. With Wayne staying over too the decibels reached an all time high. I’m not blaming Wayne for that. I’m equally blaming all of us for that. One person would talk, and someone would be a tad louder, then the next person would be a little louder and so on and so forth. Phil and Wayne are naturally loud people so as you can imagine… accompanied with alcohol I’m surprised the neighbours weren’t kicking up a stink, one of the housemates gave a loud shout of SHUT UP! So instead of just quieting down we shouted an apology, then quietened up, then the noise got progressively louder again.

After lots of silly videos on youtube, reminiscing for the guys, joking and rejoicing it was time for a late night run to the Hungry Jacks and McDonalds. We stuffed our faces; then about 4am we went to bed. Danny had very kindly offered Phil and I his bed. Where people went to sleep that night was not where I saw them when I woke up that morning.

My favourite part of that morning was Phil’s hangover, I had never seen him that drunk. To be fair to Phil, his team had won O3 and he got to spend the time with friends he very rarely gets to see. Danny had made us scrambled eggs and beans for breakfast, very delicious. Phil could barely stomach it so some toast was what he managed over a period of half an hour before I tried to force some more significant breakfast down him.

That day was spent lounging around, watching films, nursing hangovers (I was peachy and hangover free) and talking quietly.