Chronicle

I’m finding writing a bit of a chore at the moment. There is a lack of complete ideas bouncing around in my beautiful head (yes...beautiful.) I’ve got a couple of strands that if I can pull them together might work but until then, I’ll just have to keep plugging away.

As Pablo Picasso said, “When inspiration comes, I want it to find me working.” How about that for a quote? I don’t just do John Cusack and Father Ted you know.

So with a lack of anything better to talk to you about, I’ll tell you about something I did this week. No, wait...it might be interesting.

On Tuesday, I met up with a new friend (that’s not the interesting part.) Feeling a little unimaginative and not really wanting to ‘just go to the pub’ I charged her with the responsibility of deciding where we would go. This was a mistake as not knowing my destination was incredibly irritating. I like surprises, when I’m doing the surprising. The other way around is just cruel. With a nervous anxiety I boarded the LUAS while she mocked my control freak ways.

I never considered myself a controlling person, but seeing the words on paper does make me seem a bit anal retentive. By the way, isn’t Anal Retentive just the best expression (to say, not to be, obviously.)

Arriving at our stop we disembarked the tram and crossed the Liffey into Temple Bar. Temple Bar isn’t my favourite place in the world so my trepidation was multiplying quicker than Carole Voderman but as we passed some of the more obnoxious bars I started to relax. On seeing an enormous queue of people I realised this was our destination. We were off to Milk and Cookies.

Milk and Cookies is a story telling evening in Exchange Dublin, in Temple Bar. Every second Tuesday of the month an assortment of people converges to share stories they have picked up on their journey through life. Ranging from haunted tales of a teacher’s first job to anecdotes about childhood guilt for cursing out parents, it would be impossible not hear something that didn’t entertain or amuse.

The people who organise it do it for the love of stories rather than money, the lack of a cover charge being proof of that. They also provide tasty baked goods and delicious non alcoholic beverages free of charge. There is a donation jar or merchandise available to buy if you wish to contribute to funding the very worthwhile event.

It was my first time attending and I have to say I loved it. It’s cramped and kind of uncomfortable with not enough seating for the 100 people they let in, but that just added to the sense of unity. Everyone was there to enjoy themselves, support the people who offered to share their story.

The story tellers all had wonderful yarns to weave, some autobiographical and some traditional, some touching and some outright bonkers. Anyone can sign up on the night if they wish to regale a captive audience. Not everyone was a polished performer, but each was treated with the same respect and adoration by the grateful audience.

I will definitely go back. Maybe next time I might share a story. I doubt it would be up to standard of the ones I heard the other night, but I think they would be ok with that.

Coincidentally I met one of the organisers the next day when I was in Galway with Fighting Words. She was volunteering with Cúirt despite having a seriously sprained ankle. In a time when money is tight and entertainment and culture is probably the first thing to go from people’s budgets it’s great to know that good people are trying to do good things.