14th September, 2009 - Act Local, Drink Local

It was good to be out with friends the other day after the football. I was saying to them, that the only thing I really miss about moving away from my old home town of Hamilton, is the fact that I don’t really have a local pub any more. The time was when I could walk into The Montrose almost any night of the week, and pretty much guarantee that I would find a few pals there. Now that I am away from the old town, that is no longer there.

Of course, this is a bit of an illusion. The reality is that, even if I lived in Hamilton now, I wouldn’t have that, because all my mates have moved away. Generally they have got married and they have found homes that are handier for work, or have better amenities, or are more affordable and so on and so forth. But only a couple of my closest pals still stay in the old town now.

What I am missing really is a time in my life, rather than a place I think. And I wouldn’t go back. Except once every couple of months with my mates, after the football.