Bye-bye, Tom

Today was Tom's last day in the office. He is going back to Dublin after two years in Germany. A sad day indeed. I really enjoyed working with him (he is frightfully clever) and he is also fun to go out with. After a couple of pints he will break into song, his repertoire a daring combination of Irish folk songs and German carnival songs.

He is leaving with an addiction to German coarse rye bread. Which is why we gave him two packs of it as a farewell present (plus some souvenirs of Cologne, all of which had the Cathedral on it; is there nothing else here worth remembering?). We will probably have to send monthly "Care" parcels to ensure he doesn't suffer from withdrawal sydrome.

I think this is only fair. When I moved back here from England, I was (and still am) addicted to prawn cocktail flavoured crisps. I became a vegetarian soon after moving back here, which could potentially have meant a moral conflict for me. But you and I may rest assured, prawn cocktail flavoured crisps have never been anywhere near a prawn. They are 100% artificially flavoured and hence suitable for vegetarians. Phew!

Well, he is leaving Cologne, but he is not leaving the company, so our paths will definitely cross again. See you soon, Tom!