Christmas Cheers - by Theo

Let me state something clearly now. I may be married and a father and more often than not already in bed by 10pm on a Saturday but I in no way feel I am 'missing out'. Nonetheless, I am often curious, when listening to my colleagues tales of what they got up to the night(s) before, usually because I don't quite understand how they manage to stay out until 7am. Leaving aside whether, either through drunkenness or tiredness, I'd be able to keep myself awake that long, I think I'd simply get bored staying in a bar that long. Not that my work colleagues are boring, but I honestly think the only time I've stayed up all night have been at festivals or seriously good parties. Bed (especially if Kate is in it) beats bar for me every time.

Anyway, last Tuesday's staff Christmas party gave me just such an opportunity to satisfy my curiosity, as we all ventured out on the boss's euro. As we had to wait until the last class finished (9.30) we didn't get to the bowling alley until 10 where, yours truly "Thunder" Berry took an early lead with my partner Scott over Jane and Marina, with me scoring the highest across the lanes in the first round. In the second we were paired with the boss, Will, and last year's champ, Tim. Tim's form had been off and Scott and I quickly built a lead. The boss was not happy; some disparaging comments about Tim's future employment prospectus. Selflessly I decided to throw a couple of tactical gutter balls for the sake of my colleague's job security - the amount of beer I'd consumed had nothing to do with this - thus allowing the boss the victory he so craved. Sadly it also meant I surrendered my high score as Jane, who we had previously vanquished, was having a stormer on lane one. Oh well.

So it was gone 12.30 when the taxis arrived in torrential rain, and dropped us back on Calle Alcala near the Geographic Pub where, like Cortes's conquistadores, we swiftly pillaged the bar and colonised the most comfortable sofas. The boss was still buying - hurrah! - and though a few of my weaker colleagues made an early exit we were still 8 strong by 3am; the last customers in the bar. I confess the time passed swifter than I might have imagined; I hadn't intended to stay out so long. Anyway, by this point a motion had been passed to head on to the "legendary" (well among my colleagues anyway) Vertigo bar, an odd little place under a shopping centre which my colleagues regularly frequent as a) it has a pool table and b) it's the only place in the barrio open after 3am.

I went along for one before realising that I really, really should be getting home while it remained an option. I did, after all, have guests coming for lunch the next day. As to my colleagues, I am still none the wiser really; for while Vertigo was indeed a curious place, with a pool table no less, I still feel no desire to frequent it quite so often. Once is surely enough.