The Amorous Oxford Ghost

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Lush

Sometimes I think that amorous intent and patriarchial aggression are really one and the same.

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Sorry to be boring but are you sure it wasn't the BF?

Such cynics!

Lalwende's Theories:

1. It could have been that you had simply sat on some ants (or similar biting insects) and they bit you in such a way as to make your muscles contract violently. I once sat in an ants' nest (not by choice, I hasten to add, I have long since given up on conducting such experiments on myself) and it hurt, so I am speaking from experience.

2. It might have been a flashback from a traumatic experience with one of those muscle building machines where you put a flat pad wired to the mains on your skin and then proceed to jump through the roof as though a heavyweight boxer has just had a 'pop' at you.

3. It could have been a ghost, but it would have been more likely someone like Philip Larkin. Or else that charlatan Derek Acorah was making one of his TV shows.

4. You had cramp.

[Rimbaud]

I'm British. It was probably me.

That said, I'm feeling considerably less ghostly after the holiday season...

More seriously, mysterious people, running around, causing mischief? And us Big People can't see them? Hmm.

[Amanaduial the archer]

Yeah, we Brits can barely get about our day-to-day business without being assailed by ghosts. Terribly haunted isles and all. That's why the railways are so bad.

Eomer, forever explaining the mysteries of life...

The Eagle and Child is one of the oldest pubs in Oxford, and had centuries of hangings and other delectably gruesome executions. It's bound to have picked up a few more permanent residents... And come on, we already know that Oxford students were pretty vicious: Cambridge was formed after a group of scholars fled, following riots because a group of students murdured a townswoman. Nice bunch!

And you think students nowadays are bad...

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Sorry to be boring but are you sure it wasn't the BF?

Did a few double takes at this , thought it said "the BW". Guess those are the initials beginning with "B" I'm most used to seeing around here...



Sophia

[Mithalwen]

Yeah I think Larkin was a likely suspect - looks just the type Jazz, real ale and libraries are a dangerous combination ... but I suspect Lush might prefer the more dashing (but fictitional Lord St George ...)

[Lush]

I'm sure it wasn't the BF because he was standing in front of me reading the menu, so unless he got it in his head to defy the laws of physics...

Besides that, can't say I would have preferred it to be a dashing ghost (sadly it never did moan its name to me or rattle any chains invitingly), jealousy issues, you know... I like to think I'm a good GF.

So it was, um, quite rude and I demand an apology from the Lord Mayor.

Ok, I don't. But maybe a free t-shirt would be nice.

Despite that, I can't say my experience of the Bird & Bebe was in any way marred, and, just in case you skipped over that part, the food was great. Although I'm sure it must have changed greatly in half a century, I will still claim I know exactly what Tolkien saw in that place. It's a great atmosphere for thinking about literature, so now I know why his books turned out to be so fantastic.

[Mithalwen]

Well Lord St G would be a 20th century ghost so no chains and I'm not sure that Oxford has a Lord Myor .. would the Master of Balliol do ....

It is is 8years sinceI was in the Bird and baby butI am afraid I thought it somewhat overmodernised for my taste with ginger pine furniture and despite the Tolkien connection tended to vote for The Lamb and Flag across the road for Sunday lunchtime drinks