Arsenal America

Like most men 80% of my thought processes are either Sex or Football. Now considering my good lady was in San Diego attending a teachers convention. Number 1 seemed out of the question so football it is.

This is how I found myself at 1.20 this morning laying in bed thinking of the lesson in Football we had given Chelsea and our chances of winning the league. Now like most Gooners I?m as pessimistic as they come. But I think we?ve got a good chance this year. All right?s with the world I thought.

Then bang like being hit in the head by a brick thrown by a Millwall fan it hit. S*** !! I?m not going to be in England for the last games partying. AAAGGGHHH!!!!

Now I?ve lived in So Cal for over a year now. So I?m well used to not going to games and watching FSW or having huge PPV bills. But I?ve found some like minded fools in my area and we get together to watch the games. For the big England Games there is always the Fox & Hounds. Not to bad. I try to get back at least once a year to catch a few games. Last year for the F.A. Cup Final I even went as far as taping the game and watching it at 3 pm. Because it?s only proper. A decision totally vindicated when we won and one of my fellow Gooners got plastered and fell over in the front garden.

But this year what to do. I?ve never missed one. Well I tell a lie. I missed going to the Liverpool game in 89. It?s a long story but involves a Magistrate, a Policeman and a home defeat to Derby. I?ll tell you about it another day. But at least I was in London in the pub with mates.

Jump forward to 91. Home to Coventry. Anders Limpar (He?s very good ya!!) demolishes City and the party starts. Some how I ended up in the Arsenal Tavern jumping around to a band. I honestly can?t even remember leaving.

Then the two Everton games. Tony?s almost spiritual moment in 98 and another two days missing in my life spent in pubs in Holloway road. Of course the last one in 2002 was the exhibition match always remembered for the how many chances can you give Jugs before he scores against his old team. Another night in a pub in Holloway. I remember the floor almost giving way with drunken singing. I was so bad. Apparently I rang a Celtic mate who was at a posh dinner party with a quite new boyfriend because the pub was singing ?We Love You Freddie? and I remembered she liked him. Lucky she?s got a sense of humor.Yet agian it’s all like some dream sequence in a film to me.

Right so what about this year. I?m getting agitated already. Phones calls from mates at and after the games. E-Mails. I?m getting stressed. Don?t tell me I?m going to miss it. I?ve already told the wife we haven?t really got the money to go back this year. What with the exchange rate and everything. But what do I spy sitting next to me on the desk. It?s a wallet and in that wallet is a Visa card which I have been diligently cutting the bill down on. Which is the only responsible thing. But I don?t suppose to see just how much the flights are on say the 12th or 13th of May will be a problem. I mean I?m only looking after all?Now what was that web address again www.virginatlantic.com.

Carl