“Where is my bag? Where the — — is my bag?”
“What’s in the bag?”, I asked.
“Ohhhh, nothing important… just my filofax, my passport, my credit cards. Everything.”
Ironically, we’d just been listening to the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, whose cover says “Don’t Panic” in big friendly letters — but I was panicking. Christian seemed to be panicking too…
The sun had been shining and we had been making good progress towards Valencia. The Ball seemed happy enough too: it was still on a high after rolling around on the grass pitch-side at the Nou Camp yesterday.
A random pitch in VilanovaWe had stopped earlier as we were leaving Vilanova, a random football moment had suddenly appeared. Out of the car, camera at the ready, Christian put his bag down to kick The Ball. Elaborately-dressed children enjoying carnival season marched by singing and chanting. 150 kilometres later, ready to feed our caffeine habit, he realised he’d left his bag back there in the park.
After back-tracking to Vilanova, a friend who speaks Catalan called the police. And you know what? Someone had turned in the bag… And, nothing was missing…
Christian savours the good newsBill Hicks liked to say that “life is a ride”… but our ride has taken us up and down this toll road two too many times today. As I write this we are speeding off along the coast towards Valencia — again. Adreneline is still rushing like the gusts of wind outside. What a ride it’s been today.
“It’s not Friday the 13th is it?”, asks Christian as I type away. He suggests paying a Homage to Catalunya for lettting him off so lightly for such a grave lapse of concentration… I tend to agree. The ride continues as we head south.
Friday the 12th — lucky for some.
Written by The Ball on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
Head about the ball on BBC. Will certainly have my arms wide open in welcome when you pass through Malawi.
Whew!
how many times have you guys left wallets, bags and the ball on this trip already?
Too many times, Julian… it’s got to stop, but we just don’t know how ;-)
Chris,
I hear you had just scored a goal shortly before leaving your most precious possessions behind. Must have been the rarity of the moment that left you wanting!
Big love to The Ball and you precious guardians.
Phil x
PS Shame you found your bag in a way… we could have been testing the ‘The Ball as passport’ theory for real!
Mate, it looked for a long while like it was one hell of an own goal. Am so glad things worked out the way they did. Wouldn’t be here in Fez now if that bag hadn’t bee handed in. Much love to whoever it was that handed it in… can wait a while to test the theory!