I heart Cardiff

Carwyn’s little face lit up. ‘Hey have I told you about my latest idea?’ His Welsh lilt slightly accentuated by his excitement.

Luke and Rich rolled their eyes in unison, Carwyn was famous for his ideas, his inventions, his innovations, most of them were either completely pointless or had already been invented. Luke took a swig of beer.

‘Don’t tell us it is a TV remote control in the shape of a gun.’ Luke and Rich laughed, that had been Carwyn’s last great idea, he’d announced it with great fanfare a few weeks before, ‘fantastic,’ he’d said, ‘imagine Jeremy Clarkson comes on and you can shoot him.’

But Luke had quickly shot him down, ‘been done,’ he’d said confidently.

A bet ensued, a bet that Carwyn lost when Rich brought up a picture of a TV remote control gun on his iPhone.

‘No’ said Carwyn slightly offended by his friends’ laughter. ‘And that was a good idea, it’s not my fault someone has already had it.’

The other boys laughed again, Carwyn was getting Welsher by the second.

‘C’mon on then tell us the latest one.’

‘Well, you know those I heart London t-shirts. Look.’ Carwyn unfolded the piece of paper he’d been toying with and laid it on the table. The boys looked at it and nearly fell off their chairs laughing.

‘Carwyn,’ Rich managed to say in between sobs, ‘bless you Carwyn.’

Carwyn looked at the paper and then at his mates a little confused, he had thought the idea was amusing but not hysterical.

‘Seriously Carwyn, I think they probably already make I heart Cardiff t-shirts.’ Rich continued prompting another burst of laughter from Luke. ‘You can’t call changing the word London to Cardiff a ground breaking idea.’

‘Noooo.’ Carwyn managed to hit three notes as he sang the word.

‘Look, below the I heart Cardiff.’

The boys tried to regain their composure and looked at the crude drawing again.

There were 4 I heart Cardiff t-shirts but on each one was an extra line in brackets.

I love Cardiff, but Cardiff only wants to be friends.

I love Cardiff but Cardiff is seeing other people.

I love Cardiff but I’m not ready to commit. I wanna see other places.

I love Cardiff (but it’s purely platonic)

‘T-shirts, key rings, mugs, it’s for the tacky tourist with a discerning sense of humour.’ Carwyn said to his now silent friends.

‘Actually Car, these are good,’ said Rich nodding his head and turning the paper around to get a better look. .

‘And then I thought you could have …’

‘Been done’ interjected Luke, holding his phone out for the other two to see.

Carwyn’s sentence trailed off, the excitement drained from his face.

‘Better luck next time Car.’ said Rich, his voice full of genuine sympathy. ‘Same again?’ He got up to go to the bar, ruffling his friend’s hair as he went.