Football Heartbreak and Linh’s Big Loan (Part 2)

Lunch With the Usual Crowd

Looking forward to having lunch alone at 1:00 p.m., I was thrown off from my mild aspirations when Linh came over to my section around 11:00 a.m. Sitting himself down near me he quickly noted that he was having lunch at the later time of 1:00 p.m. “My supervisor is heading out for a three hour lunch today so we have to have lunch later” Linh uttered as he asked me if I wanted to have lunch at that time and then we planned having lunch together.

Upon his departure all those thoughts the day before about Linh trying to phase me out of the group were old news. There would be no logic in Linh popping over to my area so he could ask me out to lunch if he didn’t want me there so for the second day in a row, I was having lunch with the usual crowd, created by that meeting at the photocopier.

Brisbane Versus Manly

When our hour or lunch arrived, I headed out to the corridor where I had found the three of them waiting, Linh, Thao and Rhett. Taking the elevator downstairs, they had their usual smoke out the front to which we then headed on our journey towards the food court at HMV. On the way up I was talking with Rhett at most as we branched off together and Thao was walking with Linh. Rhett still had a touch of envy as he said “We’re not good enough to talk with him” but I just shrugged it off and continued talking about Brisbane’s winning streak and their upcoming game which was played out on Sunday.

How hopeful was I that Brisbane would beat the easy contender of Manly this Sunday and how distraught I was on the way home from skirmish. Turning on the radio to listen to the Football commentators, I sat in the back of Shawn’s Ute somewhat uncomfortable but glad that the Brisbane game was being telecast. In the front seat, Jett was vouching for Canterbury Bulldogs and Shawn was up for Parramatta, the three main contenders for the glorious finals.

Each of us proudly spoke of our teams and as I reminded Shawn that Parramatta lost to a shit Balmain and Canterbury tied in their game, I was at ease knowing Brisbane were leading in the second half with a score of 26 to 8. Nevertheless, switching back some minutes later, I couldn’t believe my ears upon hearing that the game was now tied 26-26.

Shawn and Jett appeared complacent and glad enough to shove that in my face and with two minutes left of the game, I was hoping for some Brisbane magic. Listening to the commentators and having no television screen to see what was taking place was unbearable to the tension as Lockyer went for a drop goal and missed thirty meters out, only by a couple of inches mind you.

Brisbane’s Last Gasp

With a minute left in play Manly tried in desperation to lift the crowd and themselves but with two plays left they chipped over Brisbane’s head and didn’t manage to clean up. Brisbane having only a couple of seconds left, they looked like scoring, managing to bring it up to Manly who knocked the ball back just as Brisbane looked dangerous enough to pick up a loose ball. However, play was stopped twenty seconds after the full time whistle sounded and I, distraught and counting losses wasn’t happy with the one point we managed to salvage.

Brisbane has to win the next two games to just make it in the top eight and playing Parramatta and then Canterbury, it doesn’t look like a favorable run. Canberra is now the only team in contention who after a bi next week have one more game to play. Switching onto the Football game as soon as I arrived home at 4:30 p.m., I watched the rest of the Football and taped the ever important scorecard.

On the way home, the commentators went through a lowdown of who they thought would make it into the top eight and basically, since Brisbane is one point in front of Canberra and they have a bi next week, I feel that Brisbane can lose one game and still be in with a chance. If we lose next week, Canberra is one point ahead of us and if the commentators are right in saying Canberra won’t win their last game, then Brisbane has a chance of knocking down a victory and just scraping through in eighth position.

Two wins would be great and that will definitely get us into the top eight but I’m doubtful as our record breaking winning streak has tired the Brisbane side to which they have to lose at least one now. What would the semi finals be like without Brisbane, a squabbling fight for the crown that’s for sure.

Linh’s Loan

Getting back to my explanation of my lunch break, during our small journey up to Pitt Street Linh parted to head for the bank, most probably to find out if his loan had been approved or not. The three of us walked chatting with each other until we arrived in the food court tow which I bought a seafood basket and a drink. Finding us a seat, I arranged one of our usual tables and as Linh arrived seconds later the four of us were again united.

Asking Linh where he had just been, we sparked conversation about his optimism of his loan being approved and his obsessive love to buy a motorbike. “How much money did you apply for” I inquired so that I could weigh it up with my past efforts. “They’re going to give me $9,000” he muttered, it’s been approved already”.

Sitting there with obvious joy plastered on his face I told him how back in the day I couldn’t even get a credit card for $1000, finding a struggle to even obtain the $500 limit that I started with. Linh’s approved loan of $9,000 didn’t make sense to me as I couldn’t even get a $3,000 loan approved a couple of years back and he has only been working for as long as myself for the same amount of money.

Sharing My Chips

Whilst we talked credit and loans, Linh thought he was too late to grab something to eat so being courteous as usual, I offered him some of my food, noting that I would never be able to eat all the chips. Well, in usual case I don’t eat all the chips but that’s because everyone else eats faster than myself. There hasn’t been one case where I’ve finished my meal before theirs, no matter what my dish.

Usually though, as I am finishing my meal they light up a cigarette which buys me some more time to eat. Lyssa would probably be furious if she knew I sat around while they smoked and even encouraged it to some degree but I don’t want to seem an outsider by denying them their usual privilege. In addition, it was different when Lyssa smoked as opposed to anyone else to which she was my girlfriend and I had to put up with that taste in my mouth when we kissed.

It wasn’t pretty when she lay beside me and I could smell the smoke on her which at most dampened the night and mood. However, I am proud that Lyssa loved me enough to stop smoking even though she was probably gritting her teeth. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t appreciate being around all this smoke at my lunch break but I try my best to shut it out of my mind and beguile myself with such an illusion.

Credit Card Memories

Linh eventually bought his own lunch and sat there, complacently eating. His high spirits brought back memories of when I got my credit card first approved to which I immediately bough a computer. I shared the story of how I was thinking of buying a $500 beaten up car to which the guy who ended up buying it used it for spare parts. Yep, that was a stupid idea and it would have been a wasted amount of money but hey, I was young and yearning to buy a car so I could fit into a trend and in the same breathe, be in control of my own destiny.

Thao was silently amiss about the subject of loans and it wasn’t until Friday that I realized his mettle. Unbeknownst to everyone save for Linh, Thao had a loan approved for $11,000 and on Thursday, he took it all out. I’m not sure how he took out the money but I think he contradicted his later arguments against Linh’s eagerness to take out the money in cash by doing so himself the day before. I am firm to believe that Thao headed to the bank and withdrew $11,000 in cash for his loan and carried it around with him for the duration of the day.

I can remember the day that I had $1,000 in my hand to which days earlier I had managed to pay off my Credit Card only to take it all out days later to spend it on this computer. However, that money was very well spent and on this credit card which has always been on the brink of bankruptcy, I do believe that I took the smarter option with the credit card.

When at best I do pay off my credit card I’m going to apply for a $3,000 limit to which I will probably drain by buying a car or if already saved, expenses curbed for fixing that car. With petrol prices having gone through the roof in some areas, it’s getting beyond a joke to own a car but I am set to gain my independence and once I have my car, it will be a whole new era of life for Tony.

The way I see it, we’re still in the same era when best I started work and when I achieve the payments on this laptop, another era will begin. Only two seasons down the track will another era begin to which I will have finally found myself with the purchase of my car, the beginning of my memoirs, my braided hair, contact lenses and so forth. Good times can only arise from today and these constant reminders of the bright future are welcomed.