Went to a retirement lunch in Brighton for an old client.
Brighton was much sunnier than Hastings, it was actually dark glasses bright, something I've noticed before and put down to the high cost of living ( I looked through the property magazine on the way home - you cannot buy even a tiny house in a shit part of town for less than £250k.
A lot of men still had 'clever' moustaches - and I saw something that made my blood boil - a young chap with an 'ironic' comb over. Still too many men with face and neck tattoo's and those things in their ears like drinks coasters. Still quite a few shops that have been empty a long time, and several of the stores that have been refurbished in the last 5 years already look wrecked - including the old BHS building on Western Road that already needs a new re-furb after just 5 years. I walked up Over Street - I once went to see a house there but discounted it because it was a really shabby street, but now it's really posh. My old road is like something from Pimlico.
Saw quite a few people I knew, they all looked so much older, quite shockingly so in some cases.
Saw a few people I didn't want to talk to - and in once case pretended I didn't know who they were. Behaved impeccably in rather difficult circumstances. In the past I would have found today quite hard work, but found it really easy. I must have grown up. Spoke to someone who is my age and has always been a bit 'flash' - to find that they are living in a flat share. Can't imagine anything worse at 44.
The train was £12.50 - that is frankly offensive. A couple of cups of coffee, a magazine, a paper and some sandwiches - and the 20p for the public toilet leaves me about 30 quid out of pocket.
Everyone told me I looked really well and healthy. I'm glad somebody was - I was really shocked at how much older everyone seemed, and how stressed they were. My X boss was a bit pissed and insisted he hadn't seen me in 10 years ( actually -it's 18 months ). Came home pretty chipper, listened to John Barry all the way home.
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