After popular, overwhelming demand (read: Hi, Michelle):

Irish accent. An impressive tan, close-cropped hair, blue eyes and a blue shirt that matched perfectly. Strong build. I decided he was a footballer.

An Irish footballer. Did I mention the accent?

There I am, standing outside an Irish pub. I have a pint waiting for me inside. And an Irish footballer is walking up to me.

Hi. Hello. Hellllloooo.

That's when he asks me if he could give me a piggy-back ride.

?????

Did I mention he asked me for a piggy-back ride with an accent?

Thank God I am on the phone with Beth, who can now vouch for the authenticity of the exchange.

A piggy-back ride? Haha, no, no piggy-back rides. I'm on the telephone.

"That's OK. I'll run fast."

The double entendre is making me laugh out loud. And he is laughing too. A wonderful, warm Irish laugh.

Did I mention the accent?

Now, maybe it's just me. But when did introducing oneself - wait, no, not even introducing oneself, as he's still known only as Irish Footballer in my mind - with a piggy-back ride offer become something that's done? Why does this happen when my friend is inside the pub, completely unaware of the fact that I'm weighing the pros and cons of accepting a piggy-back ride from an Irish stranger who could run fast and carry me away to God knows where?

And why do I somehow decide that I don't accept piggy-back rides from strangers - even of the hot, Irish, could-be-footballer kind?

Questions for the ages. Harumph.

Now, in other, non-requested news. If given an opportunity within the next few weeks, here are some things I recommend doing:

- Feel like a walking iPod commerical (in a good way). Walk around listening to any of the following: Ryan Montbleau Band's cover of "If You Want Me to Stay" (04.29.06, available on archive.org); Pat McGee Band covering "Stuck In the Middle With You" (04.23.06, on archive.org and from a show I attended) with Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers and Tyler Hilton; Matt Nathanson's "Amazing Again" (10.20.05, on archive and also from a show I attended). Feel your footsteps dance along. Check your shadow to make sure it's not going crazy as it trails behind you.

- Really look closely at flowers, plants, shrubbery ("You must return here with a shrubbery!"). I've been taking a number of photographs of greenery lately, as it gives me good practice working my digital camera's closeup features. But it's turned into something that's fascinated me for two days.

- Ride in a convertible/top-down Jeep south on 93 in Boston. At night. Stare up at the bottom of the roadways and the top of the Zakim Bridge. If you've done so, no explanation is necessary. If you haven't, just do.

- Go to see the debut of a new show at The Tribe. "I'm the Rhoda" will grace The Tribe Theater's stage on Friday night, and I'll be there to support some of the funniest, most glorious ladies in Boston. You should be there too. Info about The Tribe (which always provides a good time) is available right here.