Morning in London
This morning began a little before 6am, when my body clock anticipated the alarm clock by a few minutesit's funny how it does that. While (I thought) quietly sneaking out of bed, my other half murmured after me.“I have to go to London, remember?“Walking to the station in the light of the dawn triggered memories of the two years I spent commuting to the heart of the city. There's something about walking the streets alone in the crisp morning air.
Normally I would have listened to podcasts, or read a book to while away the journey, but today it was made endlessly entertaining by the group of people sat next to me. The two guys and a girl were in their early twenties, and talked endlessly about the trials and tribulations of their “roles”, their chances of “career advancement”, and the perceived injustices of people who had things they did not.
I wondered if I had unwittingly slipped into a parallel “Apprentice” universe, where Donald Trump, or Alan Sugar nurture conceited morons to feature in their respective television shows.
One of them mentioned the ridiculous day rate that software development contractors were paid at his company. I grinned, because I know I am charged out at something in the region of twice as much as his incredulous estimate.
The girl talked endlessly about the perceived value (or not) of taking part in LinkedIn. She proudly boasted that she had received three recommendations related to skills nowand that anybody having any more than that would obviously be gaming the system. I didn't have the nerve to tell her I have several hundred.
Before long the train slowed into Paddington, cut by shafts of sunlight shining through the Victorian roof. Suddenly we were on foota sea of shirts, ties, and overcoats sweeping slowly towards the underground.
I used to “know” the underground. If you ask anybody who regularly traverses the network of trains and tunnels, there is a bizarre knowledge about each route. After a little while you realise that people get on a train at a particular place on the platform, because it means they will then get off at the platform exit at their destination. Crafty.
Today was altogether more relaxed. I arrived an hour early on purpose, meaning I had time totaketime. Time to wander around Wembley Stadium and take photographs, time to admire the new Civic Center adjacent to it, and time to sit in the library with a cappuccino, watching the world go by.
Slowing down is good sometimes.