Page 101 of Our Song

‘Hey,’ I said, hurrying down the steps to join her.‘What’s happened?’

She took a deep breath.‘The Ball’s been cancelled.’

‘The Trinity Ball?’I said ridiculously, as if there were some other ball going on around here.‘But it’s on Friday!’

‘The security guards are going on strike,’ she said.‘The whole thing’s been called off.’

‘But that means …’ The full devastating extent of Jo’s words was dawning on me.‘We won’t get to play.’

Joanna nodded miserably.

‘But …fuck!’I said.‘That’s our last gig!’

An hour later, we were sitting on the grass outside the college’s Pavilion Bar with Tadhg and Brian, the four of us drowning our sorrows with cheap cans.Everyone was too miserable to talk much.

‘Maybe we can organise another gig,’ I said, without conviction.But I knew we wouldn’t.We were all under exam pressure.None of us had the time or mental energy to start ringing around venues, trying to put on a gig at the last minute.This was it.We’d never play on stage together again.

Then Ruairí was standing in front of us.

‘I suppose you’ve heard the shit news?’he said.‘Well, I might have something that’ll cheer you up.’

‘The strike’s off?’Joanna’s face lit up.

‘What?Oh no, that’s still happening.And rightly so.Up the workers!No, the official ball is off.But …’ He paused for dramatic effect.

‘Spit it out, Ru,’ I said.I wasn’t in the mood.

‘The Alternative Ball is on.’He was grinning from ear to ear.‘This Friday.BYOB and black tie.And at this ball, you won’t be the opening act.You’ll be the headliner.’

We gawped at him.

‘So, you know Paul from Shatner?’We all nodded.‘He and his mates live in this massive old ruin of a house on the NorthCircular Road.Seriously, it’s huge.We can have bands and DJs in there.His housemate knows somewhere we can rent a sound system for fuck all.’

‘Can they sort that out by this Friday?’said Tadhg.

‘They’ve already booked the sound system,’ said Ruairí.‘It’s happening, lads.Ah, look at your happy little faces!’

And so the Alternative Ball was born.

I wore the seventies maxi dress.If there was ever a time to wear it, it was that night: the last hurrah before the exams and New York and, after that, a whole new life.I’d got a conditional offer from DCU, so unless I really messed up my finals, I’d be starting my master’s there in October.This night was going to be my goodbye to Trinity, to my full college experience.And it was, we all knew, goodbye to The Band Laura’s In.Our last gig was going to be special.Ithadto be special.

I spent longer doing my hair and make-up than I ever had before, and I must have done something right because when I was leaving, wearing a fake fur jacket over the maxi dress, Annie stuck her head out of her room and said, ‘Wow.You don’t look that bad.’

Praise indeed.

College was closed early because of the security-guard strike, but Tadhg and I arranged to meet at the locked Front Gate.I didn’t know it would be the last time he’d ever wait for me there.It was a sunny evening with a hint of chill, and I was gladof the fake fur jacket as I walked along the curve of the college railings towards the gate.And there he was, in the golden early-evening light.Carrying his guitar case and wearing a perfectly fitting tux.

Fucking hell.

‘Hey!’he said.

‘Hey yourself,’ I said.‘What charity shop did you get that in?’

‘Shit, does it look too ridiculous?’he said.

‘Not at all,’ I said.

‘It’s actually my dad’s,’ said Tadhg.‘He needed it for my cousin’s wedding years ago.Her family have notions.Hence the black tie.’

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