Thursday 23 June 2011

Meeting

I made a trip into the city today for a client meeting to discuss a new building. Nothing special about that. I sometimes get jobs 'in person' rather than via phone or e-mail and have to attend a meeting in town. I took the tram for a change which winds its way from a park and ride, through the suburbs and into the heart of the busy city.


 What struck me today though, as I sat observing the people around me, was how alien I felt. Not just amongst these people on the tram but also in the city. In fact, as I walked through the noisy streets after my meeting was over, I realised that I didn't belong here.

I worked in this city many years ago, and became quite cosmopolitan, a young man about town, in and out of bars and pubs, socialising here and there. It always felt very familiar to me. My town.

For some reason though, today I felt like I was on a day trip somewhere exotic, like an excursion to a strange foreign land where people spoke a different language.

It freaked me out a bit. After another tram ride I got back to the car with some relief, surrounding myself with the safe surroundings of the little cab.

It seems that since becoming self-employed over twelve years ago, I have apparently detached form my old life, the people I once knew and the things I once craved and pursued. Now I seem to be in limbo. Not where I was but not quite where I want to be either.

I read some of your blogs, people who have exited city life, the treadmill of work and the need to acquire 'stuff' to fit in with everyone else I think that is where I need to be. Today I realised that I have changed on a very deep level.

Like I said, nothing very special but a very profound day for me. I wonder where I'll end up...

11 comments:

John Going Gently said...

lol you are sucha red blooded male
a trip to the city..... bliss I would have thought!
ps the pic is from the EXCORSIST!

Chris said...

Shit, I'd hoped I was blue-blooded like Tom.

No it's me standing outside the guys office. The clients head was spinning around though...

Tom Stephenson said...

It's such a terrible, terrible shame that Billingsgate Fish Market no longer exists in it's original form. You would have slotted in nicely there. It's all down to pheremones, Dear Boy.

Chris said...

I went to Billingsgate a couple of months ago Tom and only just narrowly avoided being sold along with a crate of Herring.

"Smell my pheromones" - one of my best pick-up lines...

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

That's a good thing!!

Crow said...

Agrees with the Alien above.

Unknown said...

ha! try being a geordie in Cardiff me duck....

Chris said...

I reckon a nutcase from the North East would blend in seamlessly with any nutcase in Wales even with a Nottinghamshire twang.

Unknown said...

there we are then, be there now, cwtch me, wanna smooth?, fancy half n half?, mines a brains, there's lovely, aww it's fabalus, where to is it?, down by there!

936000 said...

Please tell me that pick-up line never worked.....

It's lovely breaking the programming, isn't it?

Chris said...

I think that is one pick-up line guaranteed NOT to work Meggs.

Why, did it work for you?

Still trying to work that out Meggs. Any programming tips?