AFTER six weeks of travelling across the great United States of America and Mexico the prodigal son has returned.
As you are aware travelling throws up its fair quota of conundrums.
Conundrums such as finding out that the majority of Mexicans don’t speak English when your taxi driver from the airport stares at you blankly when asked if he knows where he is going.
Conundrums such as booking accommodation from a man called ‘Jimbo’ who instructs you not to tell reception you are renting the apartment; we are staying there because we are friends of Jim.
Conundrums such as not being able to drink tea on a daily basis or eating crickets or stacking on weight because there is nothing but junk food in America or travelling with your vegetarian girlfriend in a country where salads are cooked in lard or… the list goes on but these are not my conundrum.
My conundrum came when I returned home.
Somehow a number of my work clothes have disappeared.
I’m not sure if they were borrowed by a friend (I have a friend who has had a pair of my jeans, a shirt and shoes for so long that they now have become his), claimed by my brother or are still in the wash from before I left.
I thought I had the situation covered by simply wearing old shirts that hadn’t seen the light of day in years.
My plan was working perfectly – or so I thought – until I ran into my mum while out covering a story.
After some chit chat my mum informed me that as soon as I get home, I should take off my shirt and put it straight in the bin.
If mum had noticed that my once black shirt was now a faded charcoal grey, who else had but chose not to say anything?
I had a conundrum, I would have to go clothes shopping, something I hate.
After about 10 minutes I had a couple of shirts picked out from the discount rack and was on my way, conundrum solved.
But that would not be the end of my conundrum. After arriving at work I found the shirts I had bought required cuff links; I don’t have cuff links.
If you make a spot for a button on a shirt just put the damn button there.
Luckily I’m a conundrum solver.
I now have my sleeves rolled up.
Conundrum solved.