This wasn't her first time emigrating, it wouldn't be her last, there would never be a last time to emigrate, not for her. Her bags sat packed by the door, one suitcase filled with teabags, tayto and right tasting chocolate. She switched off all the lights in her house, made sure the heating wouldn't come on timer and checked the immersion was off every time she passed the hot press. Yeah, everything was in order except she needed to catch her cat she had taken to calling Moggy Foxtail. A ridiculous name for an equally strange cat. The cat bound down the stairs, an orange tabby, semi-feral cat that believed it was a dog and hated other cats. She would just have to catch her and get her into the cat carrier so she could give her to her brother who had looked after her when she was out of the country. It took a good twenty minutes to get the thing into the carrier and another ten to disinfect the cuts she had picked up in her efforts. North arrived as punctually any Ireland can be, ten minutes after the time he had said he would, unlike past times he did say bye to his sister.
She had one last cup of tea before calling the taxi to pick her up. Going down the drive to wait fro her taxi there, she threw a final glance to her house. The dormer bungalow with its neat garden, soon to be over grown. The three small paddocks that served as a nursery area for calves or more usually, where she'd put her beloved racehorses. Yes today it was a little miserable, the overcast greyness of the day was a perfect reflection of her mood.
"Elbha-Mary Kelly?"
the taxi driver said after he pulled up.
"Yeah it is, should I throw this into the boot?"
He nodded as she gestured at the bag, she did as she said and got into the back seat of the cab.
"Australia? or Canada? That's where all of your age are headed... In my day it was America and England mostly, fair few to Canada too."
"Yeah I know, at least there are plenty of visas. I'm going to Australia, better weather."
She gave a half hearted smile dreading the long flight the transfers and the jet lag she would be certain to face,
"One of my lads is out there in Sydney. Says all the Irish are dying from the sun and the heat, still better then this. How long's your visa last, a year, two?"
"18 months, I'm heading towards Perth, staying with a friend for a while. Working in an Irish pub while I'm looking for some engineering work-or nursing."
She nearly face-palmed, she forgot that she only looked like a 19-20 year old. She was trying to think of a good cover story for what she had said but the taxi driver smiled at her and spoke first
"I did always wonder what you did when you left... I've driven you to the airport every time you've emigrated since the late 60's... What's it like Ms Eire, to be a country? Couple of us auld one getting a might suspicious that the young wan who used to cycle to the customs house and the dail is still full of life while we've reached the autumn of our days. We heard rumours about these personified countries a gave it a guess... So Irelands a girl."
She was silent for a few minutes, rumours about the personifications were not unheard of but, how did she not recognise him?
"I was your first passenger in 1969... "
"Your eye's they're ancient, they always were. So engineering and nursing... I suppose they're pretty common jobs here well they were."
"Having a job seems less common these days. I can also teach and police, but admittedly, I don't police as much as I used to... You can't tell anyone about me or what I am, it could get me into a lot of trouble."
"Are there others? Others like you I mean countries."
Ireland nodded,
"I'm not allowed to say much, I'm sorry."
"Last question, more a request. If there's an England or U.k, tell him I say thanks for taking my niece into hospital there... She got a heart and lung transplant there."
"I... I will."
Ireland felt her throat clench and she bit back tears. She was an emotional wreck today.

So... what do you think do tell, do tell... I'll try and post up a chapter every week. If you suggest pairings you want to show up, I'll see what you can do. Sorry for any confusing colloquialisms, I really like writing the "worlds cleverist Janitor" character, or in this case, worlds smartest cab driver. Ireland is a small population country and we love talking... rumours spread like the non existant wildfires because it's never dry enough for that here.