The Legend of Keith

This post is about the legend of my new "friend" Keith. Who is Keith you might ask? Why is he a legend you wonder? Well, besides the slew of people who specifically told us, "Keith's a legend," he gave myself, and my group of friends here, the first taste of the unfailing compassion and friendliness of the Irish people, no matter what state of sobriety or drunkenness they may be in.

The other night a group of us were searching the city for a pub to hang out and have a pint. We crossed over the river and spotted Monroe's. When we entered, we saw that it was not very crowded at all, and we smelled that awesome scent of a wood-burning fireplace. After finding a table and ordering some drinks, one of my friends from Massachusetts saw a guy wearing a Red Sox t-shirt (I know, the story starts out with a Red Sox reference, which is not ideal, but it ended up being great). This Irish Red Sox fan, complete with bright red hair and a beer in hand, asked immediately if he could pull up a chair and talk with us. We welcomed him and for over an hour he had us laughing as he told us funny stories and jokes about various people, places, and TV shows in Ireland. Every now and then he would also get up and flex his muscles or sing the first few lines to a Dropkick Murphy's song, Shipping off to Boston. Now I must clarify that Keith had already had more than a couple drinks and was enjoying the night. Funnily enough, it turns out that he actually works at Monroe's on Friday and Saturday nights as a bouncer. As his day job he works for HP. By the end of the night we knew almost all there is to know about our new friend Keith.

Now, while this whole story is amusing and it was a great night with him, I'm not telling it merely to make people laugh or once again confirm the stereotype of the Irish drinker (true as it may be in some cases). This experience of a complete stranger coming up to you, sitting down at your table, and telling stories and making you laugh, doesn't happen in most places. Here in Ireland though, it does happen. Having only been here for 10 or 11 days now, it has been amazing to me just how great the Irish people are. Whether it is a guy like Keith in a pub or just someone on the street, anyone will help you and start up a little conversation in order to brighten your day a little. Back home on the streets of NYC, you just don't get that. Thankfully, I will be here for another 4 months and I know that many nights will pan out just as that one did the other night at Monroe's with Keith, and I'm very excited about that.

The whole experience, and my reflection on it, once again makes me proud of my Irish heritage. Throughout history, the Irish have always been known as a very friendly and kind people, even through their worst struggles. I hope it always stays that way.