The Day Today….

April 17, 2007

.... Shall forever be known as the day that I definitely decided to jack in the tea trade - a monotonous auction that lasted the best part of 4 hours had me losing the will to ever taste another cup of tea again as long as I live.

Gazing out the window thinking of swinging in hammocks and cool calm lake waters, my mind turned to arranging a mental playlist of recently purchased and pilfered tracks when I should of been marking the auction catalogue - we were not armed with any really strong bids to make noise and my attendance was superfluous to proceedings around me - it was like one of those waking dreams where you snap your attention back for a second and realise you’ve had your eyes open but your mind has been oblivious to all that has gone on for the last 10 to 15 minutes - just like when I used to zone out during maths exams, I quickly caught up and copied from those sitting next to me.

I decided many things during the sale -

• That Skee-lo’s “I Wish” should be followed by “My definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style” by the Dream Warriors and not by “Groove is in the Heart” by Deeelite.
• That I really shouldn’t call Antonetta but probably will at some point regardless of common sense, so should consider deleting her phone number - a motion the board is considering at this moment - but only considering.
• That I need to go shopping for food but England are playing cricket against South Africa so I will have to have empty cupboards for a day more.
• That once in Malawi permanently I will only really be able to leave once a year for visits elsewhere - which, if you think about the fact that I’m 30 this year, may mean that the amount of times I see people in the time left on the planet will be vastly reduced - answer = webcam I suppose - but still...... seeing friends and family once a year for a limited time....... makes you think.....
• That my Tattoo has finally more or less healed but needs a touch up or two to make him sharp-sharp - tempted to get another one at the same time.
• That I should consider flying to South Africa to see Grindhouse when it opens.

and

• That the decent thing to do and to avoid unnecessary hassle and confusion is to tell the head office I do not want to be moved on to the Rotterdam books for all things tax/salary/insurance/residence related - which is what is planned to happen from July 1st when they move me from the UK office books - if I tell them now then I will be able to manage my move to Malawi a lot easier from UK/Holland with regard to finance - also the head office will not have to jump through hoops to do all the necessary bureaucratic application paper work for someone who is about to nip off to Africa as soon as the ink is dry.

However, saying such things does kind of kick off a fire alarm that screams of possible uncertainty about the future - leading them to ask questions of my plans and then I will end up admitting that I’m leaving - which has to be done I know - but I wasn’t planning on doing it just yet - I wanted to get my finances in order just in case they may say in a if you’re not committed to the cause then don’t help sail the ship type way that it’s better to leave earlier than November/December I’ve planned for...... Hmmmm..... but it’s gotta be done I guess - I think I can use the excuse of my flat and payments from Holland to UK banks / tax increases in holland needing to be discussed upon my return - still, it’ll ring some bells that’s for sure - but yeah, it’s gotta be done.

Then when I snapped back to reality the sale was drawing to a close and all around where packing up and making notes - one of the producers came up to me to ask how I thought the auction had gone and without thinking I almost blurted out:

I wish I was little bit taller,
I wish I was a baller
I wish I had a girl who looked good
I would call her
I wish I had a rabbit in a hat with a bat
and a ‘64 Impala...........I wish I was at the lake already.

Spo | April 17, 2007