The Armitage Shanks Have Left the Building

In just a couple of hours I’ll be leaving Oxford for Heathrow Airport and a transcontinental flight to JFK Airport. It has been a wonderful and fruitful summer and I hope to return often. The Rothermere American Institute has provided an unsurpassed work environment and I want to thank everyone here who has made my summer productive.

But at the end of the day, what I will most cherish about my time in Oxford is the friendships I have made with a group we call the Armitage Shanks for reasons you have to come to England to figure out. We are the greatest rock band that never lived. The core group, other than the American Guy, is Roger, Moose, Ben, Patrick, Chris and the two loveliest girls in all of Oxfordshire, Emma and Ginger. But of course like any great rock band, we had our share of groupies, such as Johnny, Dave, Sara, lots of dogs, and many, many others, including the obnoxious guy who liked to put women into headlocks.

The summer of 2005 will always carry with it some important edifying memories for anyone who was there, including:

The Great “Twat” pronunciation debate (Ongoing).

Our utterly brilliant midget reality show idea, “The Big House” (with a hat tip to someone who deserves mention with Emma and Ginger for her loveliness, Lucy, for introducing us to the great and earnest ontological question: “Are those little bastards midgets or just fat kids?”)

Utter dominance of Quiz Night at the Gardener’s Arms (and pretty substantial showings at the Turf as well; we shall never again mention the debacle at Bookbinders)despite the bias against us by the Quizmaster and honorary Shank, Richard. It’s "Lord Stanley’s Cup" and "Welsh Corgie," dammit.

And of course: “To the Manor Bar!”

When I was a kid my aunt had one of those treacly books of quotations about friendship. One stood out for me even then because it is both ironic and true, the greatest possible combination. A ten year old boy was alleged to have said “A friend is someone who knows you, but likes you.” That pretty well sums it up to me. I’ll miss you guys. But I’ll be back soon, and the Shanks will cash in on the inevitable reunion tour.