Groundhog

I’ve been saying I’m gonna get myself to Budapest for the best part of 25 years now. The amount of times I’ve earmarked a weekend for it and then something has come up … it has got to the point where my friend out there jokes with me about it. “See you in Budapest on the weekend,” he’ll say, knowing damn well I’m not gonna be there.

The opportunity came up again and it looked like a good one. Lou was gonna be working there and I wanted to meet the people and see the show having not done so yet. It’s never very near London. I booked a flight mid February with Wizz, no refunds, no luggage.

Lou’s circumstances have unexpectedly changed and she won’t be there anymore. I could bin the whole trip, but something makes me want to finally see my friend and his town. We were at drama school together, forever ago. He’s still doing this silly job. We are brothers.

I’m gonna go out, I think, finally. I’ll try and see the show anyway, and catch as much of the city as I can. It’s something to look forward to at the end of this long long winter.

Meanwhile, in America, the groundhog predicted an early spring. I like to think that the groundhog’s predictions are backed up with serious scientific work, so if it’ll be an early spring over that side of the pond, there’s no reason we can’t have one too. Maybe it’ll be springtime in Budapest.

I’m still half expecting something to happen that means I have to cancel again… I’ve got a day on set before I fly. Betcha it gets pushed to the next day…

Hopefully when we wake up it’ll be tomorrow. You never know with Groundhog Day.