There's a subdued atmosphere to the office today. Piero (Creative Director) and I (Managing Director (should know better)), flushed with the successes of the month attended a friend's 30th birthday party on Saturday.
The party started right. Piero is Italian by birth and was buoyed by his home nation's success in the Euro 2008 tournament (beating Scotland 2-1) and had already sunk a bottle of wine. I on the other hand had consumed just one ‘pre-party' glass before clambering into the taxi with my wife, my mate and his significant other (why is marriage so unfashionable nowadays?).
I clearly had some catching up to do.
So, to the bar! And what a great surprise, it's free! Now, here at Frogbox, we've had a good month. We've had our heads down, worked long hours and won some significant business on the back of it. Time to play...
It all started well. The party was a surprise for the birthday girl and she arrived escorted by her husband to a rousing 'SURPRISE' accompanied by the usual barrage of party poppers. With around 50 people in attendance it took her a while to get round to us and by that time we'd had a few.
The ladies filled the dance floor and we followed. This is where it gets a bit messy.
You see, Piero is 35 and a 5th Dan Black Belt in Karate and I'm 36 and 6'5" tall. We both grew up on the likes of Run DMC, LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys and bizarrely, we both still recall walking around town with a bit of rolled up lino and a large beat box in order to practise our break-dancing. We must have been all of 13 at the time.
20 odd years on and we decide that it'd be good to try again; right here, right now. I start the proceedings with a rather fine swan dive followed by a caterpillar. For those of you that don't know, this involves jumping into the air as high as you can, inverting and landing on your hands before gently lowering yourself in a curve from your chest to your toes. The caterpillar bit is repeating the action several times in a smooth and unbroken pattern.
The cheers went up and the challenge was set. Piero had to respond; his very being urging him into an adolescent frenzy of competitiveness that can only manifest itself in ‘showing off'.
And show off he did...
Starting with a standing back flip that had the gathered crown gasping, he then hit the floor spinning on his hands and gaining momentum before flipping into a rather fine ‘windmill' that was ended prematurely by the proximity of a radiator pipe.
And so it went on.
I have never ached quite as much as I do this morning and I was prepared to keep it quiet and suffer in silence. Then Piero turned up in the office, clutching his shoulder which, it turns out, he sprained on the evening but didn't realise due to an alcohol induced haze.
So, in conclusion, the only snippet of wisdom that I can seize from the evening is never ever under any circumstances break-dance when you're over 30.

Published by Steve 19 November, 2007 - 10:58
Re Break-dancing when you're over 30
serve's you right! And don't think I hadn't noticed how you were rather reluctant to move yesterday and playing only 'non-contact' games with the kids! From Steve's wife.