Paddy mentioned a while ago that he hasn't really got to know his neighbours. They invited him & Vicky to see the bloke's band playing a gig (the neighbour is a drummer). But, with Paddy setting up his business, P & V were skint and didn't go. Paddy's been saying they ought to invite the neighbours round sometime. Well tonight P & V are finally hosting a small barbecue. But they haven't invited the neighbours. P & V are hopeless.
They have invited Mark & Lisa, Paul & Dawn, and some people I'll be meeting for the first time. Dean (someone Paddy knows from his time in Sydney) and Dean's girlfriend Sally. Some other friends were invited too - a girl that Vicky used to work with and her husband. But they have a baby boy who's fallen ill, so they can't make it tonight. But we're all looking forward to the evening.
While I was away, Paddy improvised some removable decking - varnished some pallettes and nailed some planks of wood together. We lay them down on the lawn behind the house. Then, a variety of delicous foods are laid out on the table. An esky is filled with ice and then bottles of beer. We're all set.
One by one, the guests arrive, the wine and beers start flowing, and the party gets going. It's good to catch up with Mark, Lisa, Paul and Dawn again. And it's good to meet Dean and Sal. I don't get to talk to Sal much - the girls all start chattering away. But Dean is a good bloke. He's set up his own business in Brisbane and it's doing really well. And, without realising it, he stands like a super hero - stick a cape on him and he'd look like he's ready to fly. He's also super-friendly and a good laugh. The whole evening goes really well. So well, in fact, that Dawn has laughing fit - one of the strangest things I've ever seen. I have no idea what triggered it, but I suddenly become aware that Dawn is trying to speak but failing. Her sentences are starting off ok, but after a couple of words, the sentence just dissolves into high pitched laughs, then go ultrasonic, and then there's no sound at all. Just silent laughter and an apparent inability to speak. Everyone else is stunned, but slowly we all end up laughing along, just at the strangeness of it. As for Paul, he's used to it and just shrugs.
Drink keeps flowing until deep into the warm Brisbane night. The music keeps playing. The conversation keeps humming. By the time things wrap up, we barely have the energy to clear the plates away. But we must - otherwise the place will be crawling with ants by the morning. 15 minutes later, with the guests all gone and my eyelids heavy, I bid P & V goodnight, and go wearily but happily to bed.
