72 Hours Raw In Dublin - Part Three - Page 2

And on the brochures, an old fella sat playing an accordion, he's got a dignity in the eyes a fella notices long before he catches the vomit on his trousers, and the old suitcase open front of him, inside it says "No Music No Life Thank You"

Just keep walkin. Is this the road to the Natural History Museum? They got a whale hanging from the fuckin roof!

And a lad and his girlfriend, doubt if they're a day past twenty, with their heads on each others shoulders, sleeping outside St Stephens Green.

So sat with the KFC in the paw, I'm all sortsa confused. Should I try not to enjoy it, or should I enjoy it all the more, on account of I'm lucky to have it?

Chew every bite till I'm grinding the teeth into my gums, or shove it down the gullet trying not to taste it for a second?

Most times where KFC's involved a man don't need to worry a damn about anything of the sort, since, usually, whatever "taste" there might've been one time long since went the way of the chicken's tangled guts.

This here, though, this KFC right here, purchased in the food court of the Jervis Street Shopping Center, this is as fine an example of fast food as I've ever encountered.

I take the top off the burger, exposing the fine craftsmanship therein, telling Sir Fleming all about how back home they douse the fucker in mayonnaise till it's dribbling to a man's boots, but not these cats, see, just a subtle dab here and there.

"This is true", Sir Fleming nods, "But on the other hand, the staff are obviously knee-deep in the kinda self-loathing can only result in an AK top the water tower."

I look around me, folks shuffling along in the queues, greeted at the till by muttering mournful faces rippin monosyllabic snarls out the throat, eyes burnt black with some unfathomable hatred.

It's the tortured artist thing, is what I suggest. Back home, you could hang around up at the till all day, you could shoot the arse-spit bout that new Oasis record or Batman Begins or The 120 Days Of Sodom, crack jokes and tell em all bout this girl you met makes you bubble in your shirt. The simple fact of the matter is that the food tastes like rancid goat-wank.

These folks here, though, these are obviously your Van Morrison types, the Dylan's circa-66, geniuses twisted rotten by the weight of their own brilliance. They detest every customer, but ain't one of those fuckers leaves unsatisfied.

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Article comments

  • 1 - Bennett

    Aug 25, 2005 at 5:52 pm

    Damn, there's a lot of posts hitting the BC board today, almost missed this. Thankfully my eagle eyes noted, and then remembered to follow up a few hours later when the day was winding down.

    Still has a lot of momentum going right here. Very enjoyable story, you've got me tuned in, and waiting for the next installment.

    Thank god BC publishes every day...

  • 2 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo

    Aug 25, 2005 at 5:59 pm

    thank you Bennett!

    i'm actually startin to get rather worried about this epic, on account of i think i'm in real danger of the kinda self-indulgence here that isn't "hilarious" or "endearing" in any way, but is in fact so far up my own arse it's bitin chunks out my tongue.

    in somethin of a mental dilemma, i am.

    i think previously HPW's saga was as self-indulgent as i got for any length of time outside of the journal entry things which go no further than a tiny corner of mondo irlando. this, i dunno. it's an awful lotta nothin, i fear.

  • 3 - Bennett

    Aug 25, 2005 at 6:12 pm

    Naw, stop worrying! Keep looking in the dark dank corners as you dance around the main thrust, all will be well. It's not self indulgent, it's a history lesson, a tale of grim city while struggling to maintain the Dr Jeckel of The Duke...

    More please.

    KFC, some of my best pukin as a child was in their honor.

    Scares the hell out of me now.

    I'm looking forward to whatever comes next.

  • 4 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo

    Aug 25, 2005 at 6:31 pm

    you're encouragement is much, much appreciated, good sir. i thought part four would've appeared tonight, but no, turns out it's gonna be another day or so, on account of i think i might actually got to bed tonight. three hours a night will only get a man by for so long before the head starts singin delirious in all the wrong keys.

  • 5 - Eric Berlin

    Aug 25, 2005 at 6:57 pm

    Duke -- As I saw this morning on an ep of Six Feet Under... "you can't be afraid to fail."

    Which you're certainly not in any way. I applaud the ventures into new arenas. Life-critic-ing, or something.

    Haven't read Part III as yet, will soon.

  • 6 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo

    Aug 25, 2005 at 7:27 pm

    Eric, thank you man. you help clear a man's head more than a fella this foul-mouthed could articulate at this hour.

  • 7 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo

    Aug 26, 2005 at 4:41 pm

    for the benefit of anyone keeping track of this epic, it would seem that Part Four will be appearing later in the weekend, and not tonight as i had expected. thanks folks.

  • 8 - Greg Smyth

    Aug 28, 2005 at 1:51 pm

    Just caught parts 2 and 3 and have to say I'm enjoying this loads. The whole flashbacks to before, the angst and your usual brilliant grasp of the vernacular. Looking forward to part four.

    And I gotta say, I wasn't kidding before, this has the potential to be something pretty special.

  • 9 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo

    Aug 28, 2005 at 2:53 pm

    Greg, thank you, man. i can't tell you how relieved a fella is that folks seemed to be on the same wavelength with regards the back an forth nature of it all.

    part 4 is in the works...

  • 10 - Mat Brewster

    Aug 28, 2005 at 7:25 pm

    Ah Duke, a cliffhanger. I was all casually enjoying the madness of the first two episodes and still being able to enjoy my life in between. Now I sit refreshing the blogcritics main page in hopes that part IV will be up and I can see how this tale ends.

    Please, dear gawd, make The Duke finnish this tale so I might find a life again.

  • 11 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo

    Aug 29, 2005 at 3:35 am

    heh, thank you mat, and my apologies for the cliffhanger. part four will arrive later in the eve, i'd wager.

  • 12 - Bryan McKay

    Aug 29, 2005 at 11:43 am

    Fantastic writing as usual, Duke. Looking forward to part four!

  • 13 - gypsyman

    Aug 29, 2005 at 2:52 pm

    Screw how it turns out. it walks, it talks what else could we ask for. Inside and out, what it's not is self stroking and lint picking. Far above that, I'm not into watching or reading solo porn, wouldn't have gone this far if that's what this is.

    Question? If Sir Ian's there what's James doing about geting any?

  • 14 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo

    Aug 29, 2005 at 6:18 pm

    Bryan, thank you! the fourth part should be up now, i'd wager.

    gypsyman, thank you also. i supose when a fella's in the midst of it all it's hard to A - keep check on how obscure he's being with the details, and B- keep check on makin things worth readin even though, i think it's fair to say, it's a story with not much in the way of Dramatic Events! there's a few, an the main one of em i still haven't even got to yet, so to know that folks are diggin it regardless, that right there is a fairly damn pleasant sensation.

    an with regards James, he's been hangin round my window all night shoutin bout how i better hurry the hell up so as he can get on with the flirtin an the shootin an the spyin.

    sorry james.

  • 15 - DJRadiohead

    Sep 02, 2005 at 2:14 pm

    Duke, I love the shit out of this! At the risk of sounding way to gushing I always want to move across the pond after listening to one of your podcasts or reading one of your pieces (particularly these).

  • 16 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo

    Sep 02, 2005 at 2:47 pm

    DJ, thank you! if you DO move cross the pond, just be sure an take a notebook or nine with you. amazing how many details get lost amidst the carnage.

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