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The Touch Typed Diary - Colleagues

Some background to what follows can be found here. Other installments are here.

I started this as a way to train at touch typing (hence the title) which I have finally taken up learning more or less seriously. At first I was typing what nonsense came across my mind and deleted it once I had finished. Gradually, it just turned into a diary relating the events (not very numerous) of my life. This has also the advantage of keeping me relatively busy at work when I have nothing else to do which seem to happen rather frequently these days.

22 February 2002

Yawn! I have only just arrived at work today and I am already more tired than if it was the end of the day…

I had a rather animated evening yesterday and am on my merry way to another one tonight.

First, straight after work I was given a lift by my boss to a trendy-ish bar on Camberwell Grove -called, appropriately if not originally, The Grove - for a leaving do. M. is retiring and even though I had had very little contact with her, she seemed quite keen on me tagging along to her party.

We were amongst the last to arrive and had to find seats in a corner and started to chat to each other. After a little while we were joined by one of my alter egos from another section, Z. and kept on chatting; talking about my boss’ experience with cancer and her desire to train to become a counsellor.

Z. leaves me slightly puzzled. A few months ago, we had an exchange the meaning of which I am still not sure I have grabbed. We were at reception, the two of us when, in comes another temp requiring to talk to Z. in private, to which Z. replies that it’s OK I am a “shapeshifter” like them… but they go away anyway. Now I interpreted the expression as some sort of outing. Later as we were alone again, I asked him what he meant by it to which he answered that it was how the receptionist called us from the name of a “species” from the Star Trek saga and left the explanation at that.

This two guys looked like they could be G. So I am very much confused as it does not seem to be the meaning of what he said…

A little before 8, my boss decided that she had to go as Buffy was about to start and offered me a lift which I accepted although Z. seemed to be wanting me to stay. I chose not to because I do not feel comfortable with him (probably because of the ambiguity I mentioned earlier) and because most of the time when we meet at work he is rather cold or ignoring towards me and it felt a bit like he wanted me to stay just to avoid being left alone.

There had been talk with J., the day before of going with the whole house to a gig in North London where the drummer of B.’s group was supporting a solo singer. J. had told me that they would be leaving around 7.30 and although I had not meant to stay long at the do, it was already too late when I looked at the time. I was therefore not expecting to see them when I got back home around 8.30.

They were just going out of the house and gave me just a few minutes to change before whisking me off with them. The pub we were going to is situated in Holloway (near the station). As usual in this sort of things, the music was too loud and the quality of the sound system rather dubious which rather marred the performance. We got back home around 11 and had a nice chat while watching the recording of a TV program featuring B.’s group. Went to bed rather late.

Tonight I was supposed to be going with MFS to the Fridge to celebrate her promotion but she sent me an E-mail to say she had broken up with her boyfriend and was not going out after all. J., B. and T. might have tagged along although nothing had been decided yet so we might end up going out anyway.

Just finished what was probably the weirdest sandwich I have ever had. I was brought to us by the people from Office Angels as they sometimes do since we are allowed a free meal each week and work a bit to far from their office to go and collect it.

The thing was made of “pain complet” with sunflower seeds on it. Inside were Cheddar, with (I think) sour cream (which I have just discovered and really like), onions, sesame seeds and….red beetroot !!!! Surprisingly enough it was actually quite nice although you certainly have to have a twisted mind to dream up such a combination.

Also, someone who probably does not like fish has given me a sandwich: smoked salmon and cucumber. The salmon in there was really amazing; it literally melts away in your mouth. Guess what though! With my usual luck with fish, I just had to find a bone! In a slice of salmon!!!!


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