Yesterday: 'Would you like to go to Pompeii?'
'Er... when?'
'Tuesday.'
'What?'
'You're not available? Damn!'
'No! I mean -- yes! I could do that. I think. Tuesday?'
'Send me your CV, let's both think it through and talk tomorrow.'
'Sounds like a plan.'
Today: 'Dreadfully sorry, the original guy came back. Er... we don't want you any more.'
'Drat.'
'Nothing to do with your suitability, you sound great -- he's just worked out that [and here's a bit of explanation that I'll omit because nobody gains from my relating it] so he's back on board.'
'Oh. Woah. Fair enough. Well, it happens.'
'We're really sorry. We're really really sorry.'
'Nah, don't worry. Good luck with the shoot, and you know where to find me if... you know, actually, I hope nothing happens. Not because I wouldn't love to be involved, but...'
'Yeah.'
'Yeah.'
June 28th, on Five, Live from Pompeii. I'm not involved. Nice thought, though. And a rather amusing reminder that when things happen in TV, they happen now. I'm actually missing that.
Plus, I had cause to read about pyroclastic flows, which are my new favourite thing.
There’s a cable channel cookery programme in there.. “Risky Food”.. er.. “Extreme Cooking”.. er.. “Dangerous Dishes”.. well the name needs work.. Basically hapless celeb-chefs (or sci-cooks) are suckered into going to physically extreme locations to produce absurd dishes.. episode 1, pyroclastic toast.. (bit dusty.. and there’s the question of if you use white or brown bread) further episodes could include say, some arctic made, icecream.. some desert baked water biscuits.. anyway.. sorry.. I’ll get my coat..
No, no - I’ve wanted to cook on lava for years. Cooking on a pyroclastic flow could be… well, short-lived, shall we say? But cooking on lava? Hardcore.