As a result I was late getting up, late getting ready (because after yesterday I definitely didn't want to skip breakfast) and late for my bus. It sailed past the end of my street as I exited the driveway. "Damn!" I cursed and muttered under my breath "You're running early, you're not supposed to go past until 6:57!" Then after glancing at my phone and realising it was in fact 6:58 I had to laugh at myself. Oh well. It turns out the next bus, and subsequent next train still get me to work by 8:00ish anyway.
Today we had a luncheon at work to meet one of our Sydney colleagues from the commercial property management side of our business. A nice simple spread was provided and it allowed me to get an insight into parts of the business I'm only just beginning to be involved in. I had two sandwiches and a glass of orange juice.
The lunch did take me away from my actual work rather more than I would've hoped but everyone had been encouraged to attend and I certainly don't think it was a waste of time, I just wish there were more hours in the day. Mainly for sleeping... sigh. I could perhaps have worked late, but Earnest's friend Sweep was in town today following his successful solo trip to the Australian Grand Prix over the weekend, so he stopped in the city to have coffee and dinner with me.
First we had hot chocolates at the QV Max Brenner. I completely indulged and had a dark Italian Thick Chocolate, thus ensuring that's the last time I will go there for a year. They are so utterly rich one cannot have them terribly often.
We sat and talked for about an hour about life, the universe and everything. Our families, our pasts, our mutual friends (Earnest, Lord Koshington and Shortcut) and what Sweep had done in Melbourne so far. He hadn't been to Chinatown yet as it happened, so once we got peckish we headed over there. Dragon Boat is a perennial favourite of mine (though getting a bit on the pricey side these days) and they do consistently good food so we stopped in there.
Neither of us was ravenous so we chose to share a half Peking Duck (8 pieces) and the Cantonese beef fillet with a small combination fried rice. It was plenty and we were both bordering on stuffed by the end of the meal.
Sweep waves goodbye to Melbourne tomorrow and wings his way back to Brisbane so we parted company early in the evening so that he could go back to his hotel and pack, and I could get home before it was completely dark! An unexpected bonus of this was that catching the train home at 7:45pm meant that I got a seat for the whole trip. Sure it was sitting the wrong way, but a seat is a seat.
I was sat next to a tall lanky fellow with a yellow jumper and a sense of humour. He and I were seated opposite a ghastly pretentious creature. She looked like she wanted to live in Caulfield or Carnegie, but my guess was Clayton and I was proved right. Anyway, a funny thing happened. She had her mobile up really loud and it rang but then she accidentally rejected the call, then she called the person straight back and got the 'Sorry, the person you are calling is unavailable' voice.
Well my tall lanky friend got the giggles and sniggered to me, that voice always sounds so self-righteous and pompous. I giggled back that it was the same voice who sneeringly informed you 'Sorry, that number has been disconnected'. I laughed and smiled at the creature, inviting her to share the humour in the moment but perhaps unsurprisingly she didn't see the funny side.
It was definitely dark when I got home but my journey was filled with mostly pleasant people and funny moments. I hope I never lose the joy I find in those little shared moments of humanity that happen on commutes and other such places where strangers are temporarily flung together. They somehow make life seem that much more worthwhile.
Jess
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