好色先生TV

This is my 好色先生TV buys a pint debut and I鈥檓 keen to treat Richard, who was my first boss after graduation, to a drink. It鈥檚 my chance to relive 鈥� and repay 鈥� the countless Friday afternoon lager sessions Richard funded between 1998 and my departure, 18 months and several million brain cells later.

The good news is that we鈥檙e soon ensconced in Conor鈥檚 鈥渟econd home鈥�, which is over the road from the structural engineer鈥檚 office and blessedly quiet (until the Ireland football team squares up to Slovakia on the big screen). The bad news is that my decision to let them steer the conversation results in an in-depth debate on the new Eurocodes and their precursors.

Conor declares: 鈥淭he thing is, there鈥檚 no obligation to actually follow any of them.鈥� Suddenly we鈥檙e having a serious discussion of BS 5950, structural steel design and Conor鈥檚 assessment of Richard鈥檚 antipathy to recent guidelines.

Why didn鈥檛 I suggest the cricket World Cup? Last night鈥檚 TV? My cat鈥檚 recent dental treatment?

Thankfully, Jeremy manages to divert the conversation on to skiing; he鈥檚 a virtual pro. Conor counters with a boast of avant-ski frugality: on a recent holiday he 鈥渂ought all the kit for *35 at the Carrefour hypermarket in Calais鈥�.

This prompts Mike 鈥� who has remained quiet until now, save for a few snippets on cellular beams 鈥� to suggest a 鈥渓ads鈥� ski trip鈥�: 鈥淎re you lot be up for it?鈥� The lads鈥� response is muted.

They seem more interested in a return trip to Constructionland. Jeremy laments that 鈥�80% of Imperial College engineering graduates take up roles in finance鈥�, which he attributes to low call-out fees and perceived status. 鈥淲e should be equal to doctors and lawyers,鈥� he says.

Next we tackle the bleedin鈥� obviousness of much health and safety advice. Jeremy 鈥渨asn鈥檛 a fast learner but by about the age of three I鈥檇 worked out that hammers could be dangerous鈥�.

At this point Richard, who has been absent for the first hour, finally appears. 鈥淪o what have you lot been talking about?鈥� he asks, before sharing his, let鈥檚 say, unusual take on sustainability.

鈥淚鈥檓 not sure I agree with the principle of trying to save things just because they鈥檙e going to run out 鈥� life just becomes miserable,鈥� he says, backing up his view with a shaky analogy about a worldwide beer shortage.

鈥淏ut what about the harm we鈥檙e doing to the environment?鈥� asks Jeremy.

鈥淎h, that鈥檚 a different issue,鈥� Richard replies. And that鈥檚 the last word. He deploys a well-worn line about getting home before his wife divorces him, just as my tape recorder runs out of juice.