There are ghosts on the streets of London
In the dark slouched like a rough beast to Brighton Station at 5:55am. Pointed my face into the newspaper and it was only about 50 minutes later, when the train reached the outskirts of London did I realise I hadn't actually read any of it. Fortunately a fairly direct journey to Kings Cross where I needed to meet my colleagues. Met the three grey-faced agency blokes there and we all drank from paper coffee cups and mumbled at small overpriced baguettes till our train was ready to board.
Journey to Yorkshire, Bradford via Leeds. The further north we went, the more the low clouds full of fine soaking rain filled the sky. The four of us running through the presentation, and generally laughing and joking. It's like when I used to play rugby... Slightly nervous, but suddenly you realise that you quite like the guys you work with and that, compared to the opposition, they were great.
The pitch itself, which was 2 hours of ...blah blah have you thought about this big and clever idea? and here's how we'd tackle it... blah blah.... But I am certain we didn't win it. I acquitted myself fairly well though.
Taxi back to Leeds. Bradford grey and rainy and utterly miserable looking. But the taxi passed some brightly lit shop windows full of vividly-coloured saris; little glimpses into a sunnier world.
Journey back to London painless. The train was crowded to standing room only, but I suggested an upgrade to first class and the suits readily agreed. Phoned my boss who was enjoying another shouty-sounding Christmas party which I should have been at. Hmm. He's not the boss for nothing. That's two parties this accursed pitch has forced me to miss. Rick, the planner was tormenting me by saying there was one more pitch that needed to be done before Christmas... I'm hoping he was joking.
Back to Kings Cross and then off to meet Mad Dog. Decided to walk to where we were meeting, and I felt quite wussy and exhausted when I got there. Had a short night out with Bob, who thoughtfully gave me a card and a bottle of brandy as a Christmas present. We sloped off to a Philippine restaurant and were tempted by a variety of tasty morsels and had a couple of beers. Walked slowly and companionably through town crossing Oxford street, through Soho, Chinatown, St Martins in the Fields down to Embankment Station. Very very busy, lots of cheeriness (some of it rather drunken) as yesterday and today were apparently the peak nights for work Christmas parties.
Fond farewells to Bob and then home at last. Curiously felt quite buzzy despite being so tired. Sat up late thinking about my anima.
Below: 7:40am outside Kings Cross struck by the pink and purple dawn. And, while I was waiting or Bob outside a pub, I was playing about with the night setting on my camera. The long exposure turns pedestrians into ghosts and suggestions.
Journey to Yorkshire, Bradford via Leeds. The further north we went, the more the low clouds full of fine soaking rain filled the sky. The four of us running through the presentation, and generally laughing and joking. It's like when I used to play rugby... Slightly nervous, but suddenly you realise that you quite like the guys you work with and that, compared to the opposition, they were great.
The pitch itself, which was 2 hours of ...blah blah have you thought about this big and clever idea? and here's how we'd tackle it... blah blah.... But I am certain we didn't win it. I acquitted myself fairly well though.
Taxi back to Leeds. Bradford grey and rainy and utterly miserable looking. But the taxi passed some brightly lit shop windows full of vividly-coloured saris; little glimpses into a sunnier world.
Journey back to London painless. The train was crowded to standing room only, but I suggested an upgrade to first class and the suits readily agreed. Phoned my boss who was enjoying another shouty-sounding Christmas party which I should have been at. Hmm. He's not the boss for nothing. That's two parties this accursed pitch has forced me to miss. Rick, the planner was tormenting me by saying there was one more pitch that needed to be done before Christmas... I'm hoping he was joking.
Back to Kings Cross and then off to meet Mad Dog. Decided to walk to where we were meeting, and I felt quite wussy and exhausted when I got there. Had a short night out with Bob, who thoughtfully gave me a card and a bottle of brandy as a Christmas present. We sloped off to a Philippine restaurant and were tempted by a variety of tasty morsels and had a couple of beers. Walked slowly and companionably through town crossing Oxford street, through Soho, Chinatown, St Martins in the Fields down to Embankment Station. Very very busy, lots of cheeriness (some of it rather drunken) as yesterday and today were apparently the peak nights for work Christmas parties.
Fond farewells to Bob and then home at last. Curiously felt quite buzzy despite being so tired. Sat up late thinking about my anima.
Below: 7:40am outside Kings Cross struck by the pink and purple dawn. And, while I was waiting or Bob outside a pub, I was playing about with the night setting on my camera. The long exposure turns pedestrians into ghosts and suggestions.
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