March 17, 1974...McNally's Irish Pub.....of course

Four young men were out on a pub crawl in honor of St. Patrick in Oakland CA. Having made the rounds of several Irish boozers the foursome dropped in on McNally's to finish the evening out. The place was packed with drinkers listening to live music of an Irish nature and shouting loudly at each other to be heard over the din. These were the days just as St. Paddy's Day became "Amateur Drinker's Night". Well the place was packed tight with our four lads barely able to order a drink over the din, and wedged into place. The four lads, Tom, Bob, Steve, and Jumm realized that one of their number,Tom, was due for his graveyard shift at the post office in Berkeley, and it was time to leave as they were all traveling in the same car. Jim was reluctant to leave as he had just "bumped" into a nice young lass, but loyalty to the gang forced him to leave, not to mention the prospect of walking 10 miles home in an inebriated state by himself. Out in the street, Jim remarked to his friends that he met a friendly young woman at the pub just now and was sorry to leave. Bob, (true friend of Jumm's) biker and Viet Nam vet, and probably the most worldly wise of the foursome, asked, "Did you get her phone number?"...a blank look on Jumm's face answered....Bob says, "Get your ass back in there and get her phone number, you fool!" And Jumm went back in there, and got the number.....from the lass who turned out to be his future and current wife! And almost 26 years later, Jumm can still say Saint Patrick has been good to him. ...the "First Date" takes place at another Irish Pub, "The Starry Plough".....to be continued......

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh .... aint that sweet? Happy Meeting Anniversary to Mr and Mrs Jumm.

March 17, 1980 . in a place I had never been (if ya get my meaning)
First baby - contractions (not mine of course) coming fast. Leap into the Mini and zoom off to Cork. Have the presence of mind to remember to bring the lady as well.
Get to Cork. We're on the East side. The maternity hospital is on the West side.
In between is a St Patrick's Day parade, just about to start. The road we arrive on is the marshalling area.

Some time later, we actually get to the hospital.
And a little after that, I'm a dad.

Thanks for your entry Accasbel, I'm hoping others will dredge up from memory St. Patrick's Day stories for this spot.... BTW, Accasbel, we, Marianne and I, missed St. Patrick's by 6 days with our son Brendan on March 23, in 1985...