385. Working away in the big city

 I was all excited about going to work in the big city this morning. Only kidding. I was not. I moaned and groaned all Sunday afternoon, ordering my son to book me train and subway tickets, asking my husband for comparative studies about the pros and cons of car vs public transport and begging Baby to prepare a packed-lunch for me. My philosophy of family life is if you are at home you contribute to family life - i.e. my own comfort.

I had to be there for 8AM. What kind of people plan for an 8AM start I wonder! That means I have to get up at 5:30. FIVE THIRTY!!!

When my alarm rings at first I am all excited because I think I am waking up extra early because I am going away somewhere. Then reality hits. I don't know how I manage it but very quickly I am running late and I leave with just coffee and a banana in my bag although one of my 2024 resolutions was to never ever put a banana in my work bag (I once in 2023 forgot a banana in my work bag and ... well that yucky story is for an other post if I ever dare). So off I went out in sunshine and as I walked along the canal under the now very green trees I forgot I had to keep time to catch a train. It was only when I saw a youngster running at full speed past me that I started to run too, just then I heard the whistle go and then the hiss and clank of the doors closing! The young man ahead of me got to the only door left open and shouted at the station master (or whatever they're called).

'There's lady behind me!'

The doors thus were kept open for an extra couple of seconds to make sure the lady (me) was on board. So thank you young man.

I read a funny book on the train and once in the station bought a civilised lunch and cup of coffee and made sure I followed the instructions my son gave me to get on the right underground line. Then I found the building and recognised right away the cold grumpy welcome of the institution of which I am a humble servant.

'Got to sign.' Someone grumbled from behind a glass. A few - grumpy also - teachers were gathered in the hall waiting for instructions. Where to go. What to do. The basics. I realised I had no ID with me and that maybe they would not let me in but there was so much confusion (although there were only about half a dozen of people in the small hallway) that I got in without being given a visitor's badge.

'Why haven't you got a visitor's badge?' One fellow teacher asked me accusingly. 

We reached the first floor and the room started to fill up. So many teachers here! All English teachers! I decided to use the smaller room to the side, settled at the biggest desk with the comfiest chair. Then of course I didn't not have my paper printed and the poor person in charge had to rummage through a huge box full of brown envelopes until she found mine. Everyone on entering that room was given a large brown envelope containing exam papers and no-one was to leave the room until all the papers were marked. 

I thought OMG is this going to be a race and am I going to be the first one to get off my chair, knocking it back loudly and, brandishing my brown envelope, to yell: 'DONE MARKING!' Believe it or not that motivated me!