There's no smoke without a story

There's a pub about a minute from where I live; 30 seconds away, if you could walk directly to it. Almost on my doorstep, really, I suppose. It's been all boarded up since... well, judging by a sign just up the road still inviting any passing time-travellers to watch World Cup 2006 there, probably sometime last summer.

I mention this pub for two reasons, the second of which will become clear. The first is that the place has always amused me. Like I said, it's been all boarded up since before I got here - not amusing in itself - what is amusing, though, is that if you happen to walk past it you'll also see written on a chalkboard outside (just about visible on the photo below, if you click on it) the words "Happy 18th Birthday Ross." I always wanted to take a photo and add the caption: Must have been a hell of a party.



Recently, the pub went up in flames (you can watch a video here). There was a fire engine, of course, plenty of smoke (blowing in the direction of my house), a small crowd - in other words, general noise and conspicuousness. More or less on my doorstep.

Not only was I not first on the scene, pen and reporter's pad in hand, I singularly failed to notice it had even happened. Well, not until a familiar building on the front of a local paper caught my eye a few days later.

So, erm, yep, local journalism. Probably not the ideal career for me...

Which is nice :)