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in this issue New variant CJH disease discovered Make the cool choices with our special feature 'Smokes' actually cigarettes, say scientists Taliban Ministry of Tourism and Culture to close Foot n Mouth decimates tourism and boredom thresholds Corrs accidentally release new album News in Brief: Bono, Elvis Costello, Highlighters, Lack of Rioting, striking students, etc. |
Man
"Really Freaked Out" By Casual Acquaintance
Thirty-two year old bank clerk Tom Morris was freaked out to a great extent by a casual acquaintance on Wednesday last. “I’ve met this guy Frank about four of five times before", he told the Evil Gerald down a phone. "He’s a friend of my wife’s brother, and he had always seemed like a decent kind of fella – until Wednesday, that is”. The alleged freaking-out occurred towards the end of a night out in the city centre. “We were out celebrating Carol’s birthday, and decided to go for a couple of pints after our meal. There were six of us to begin with, but Ted and his girlfriend made their excuses after the meal and headed home. So, myself and Carol, her brother and Frank headed for Hogan’s”. It was on the way to Hogan’s when Frank stopped at a newsagents to buy a roll of masking tape and a small knife. “I suppose it struck me as a little odd at the time, him buying the tape, and one of those little knives you get in offices and stuff", says Morris now. "But he said it was to repair a brake cable on his bike, so I didn’t think any more of it”. As the evening wore on, Tom became more concerned, especially when Frank stared continually at a bandage on his wrist. “I’d sprained my wrist playing squash the previous evening, and had a bandage on for support. I noticed Frank staring at it four or five times, but whenever he saw I noticed he looked away quickly”. Then Carol’s brother, who was a little drunk, went home. “I was very puzzled, because Frank is his flatmate, but he stayed with us in the pub”. By this stage, Frank was saying very little, making Tom very uneasy, although “Carol didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary, because she was scuttered”. But as soon as Carol had gone to the bathroom, Frank slid over to the seat next to Tom. “Now, I was really fucking freaked", recalls Morris, shuddering. "He started asking me if I got depressed often, and telling me about how he was very down since his mother died three years ago, and was just beginning to get over it now”. Tom’s anxiety was compounded when Frank put his hand on his thigh, and said “It’s ok Tom, it happens to us all”. He then wrote his telephone number on Tom’s packet of cigarettes, telling him to call if he ever wanted to talk. Morris: “I was really confused – he had never been this intense before. He was staring at me and his left eyelid was twitching. When Carol returned, Tom suggested that they go home. Carol offered him a lift but he said he’d prefer to walk even though it was pouring rain. Then he shook my fucking hand for about twenty seconds. Christ was I freaked…” |
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