I forgot to mention that this week saw Warming Up's two millionth hit. Not bad for just under three years in existence. Thanks for your continued support. Keep spreading the word.
I woke up this morning a little tired after my late night drive, but I guessed I was probably feeling better than the man I had last seen in Sheffield with yesterday's date all over his back. I wondered if he was awake yet and whether he had discovered the temporary tattoo that adorned him. Imagine if he had fallen into a peat bog on the way home (very possible in Sheffield) and had been discovered by archaeologists thousands of years into the future - what would they have made of these markings? At the very least it would give them a fairly accurate indication of what date to put on their discovery.
In a way it would have been good if his friend had dragged his crapulent friend to a tattoo parlour to make his unpleasant art work permanent. Thus this man would have forever had the date of his shame etched upon him, to remind him of his foolishness. But only if he looked in the mirror. In fact only if he looked in two mirrors so that he was able to read the date the right way round.
It was all slightly reminiscent of something from Abu Ghraib prison. All it needed was a smirking female soldier pointing at the unfortunate man's genitals. Still his mate did get the photos: my favourite bit of it all which I have just remembered is when people stopped to question what he was doing he just smiled and cheerfully said, "It's OK, he's my mate." As if being the bloke's friend made this behaviour acceptable. Obviously if I didn't know him it would be wrong, but he's my friend so it's all right if I rob him of the little dignity he has left.
It's funny how stamping someone repeatedly with the date somehow dehumanises them. Turning them into a piece of meat that has been branded with its best before date. And I am sure that man woke up thinking that he was best before the 19th October 2005.
I hope I haven't given the evil American occupiers of Iraq another idea of how to break the spirits of their captives.
