Saturday 10 September 2011

3am Saturday Morning

I couldn't sleep. Went to London yesterday. Muggy and overcast - I walked into town rather than cycle because I'd already decided to get a cab back from the station. The journey itself was dull - probably because I'd forgotten to sync my iPod and the audio book I'd downloaded wasn't on there.

On the way to the station, walking down Castle Steps, I saw a perfectly ordinary black bloke aged about 18 in front of me - I only really noticed him because we have the same jumper - as I got closer I heard him talking quietly - slowly getting louder. By the time I'd passed him he was singing "Jesus is Great" at the top of his voice. He had a terrible singing voice.

Thanks to the weird weather recently - the countryside was fresh and green. The Shard looked uglier than ever. There was a girl on the platform at Tonbridge wearing a pair of cheap looking Laboutin style shoes with 6 inch heels and huge soles - like the sort that Victoria Beckham wears. She couldn't actually walk and was shuffling along in that 'Walk Like an Egyptian' kind of way. I felt sorry for her joints.

I went in early - my meeting was mostly a catch up and there was very little actual work - it was a long day for very little - but I like this client and we get on. I went for a walk around central London first. Everyone seemed angry and sulky. People were very dour and downcast - and most of them were shouting into their iPhones. I had a coffee in a Costa near Fortnum and Masons, the staff were all foreign girls and they all looked incredibly tired - they tried to be nice but you could tell they were all exhausted. A woman walked past with a real Hermes Birkin - it screamed money - it also screamed 'stupid' - you could live for a year on the money that bag cost. She could have bought 50 really good bags for the same price. All of the construction around Tottenham Court Road means that great swathes of central London seem to be semi pedestrianised. I like that.

On Oxford street - an otherwise ordinary looking man walked passed and crossed the road with what I assumed was a small dog in his arms - he was holding it to his chest with his left hand. It was actually a micro pig. Little pink thing about 6 inches from tail to snout. Poor little thing looked terrified - I could have punched him.

On Leicester Square - there is somethings called 'M&M's World' - I don't understand this.

After my meeting I walked along Pall mall - a bag had fallen off a rubbish collection lorry - the stench was awful - I recognised it as rotten shellfish straight away, people were gagging - probably not what they were expecting outside St James's palace. The contents of the bag were strewn across the pavement. This being a very posh part of town - they included wine and champagne bottles, the detrious of a meal and a number of very large half smoked cigars. A better class of crap.

The good bit about today was my purchase. About a year ago they re-launched Mackintosh - the tradition rainwear brand - they did a very good job of representing this important British brand. I was angry with myself for not being able to afford one - so you can imagine my delight at finding one in my size, and my colour, in the TKMAXX on Shaftsburry Avenue at £200 off the ticket price. I could have cried with joy. It really suits me.

Everyone said I looked really well, I think I felt it.


2 comments:

daisydot said...

Well done on the coat purchase. It's great when you find such a gem out of the blue.
As for the shoe woman, I saw a similar scenario at a wedding in the summer. A young girl standing wearing a bandage style dress and skyscraper heels; she looked good until the crowd moved on then stood marooned unable to walk because her heels were so high. She finally shuffled along behind everybody, looking totally uncomfortable and out of place!

Grey Area said...

I regularly see very young girls in town who cannot walk in their shoes.... they look like the Judderman

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