Jumping in

Had a few last night, saying goodbye to one of my mates who is continuing his long-term plan to permanently settle in the sunshine. Bastard. On the 274 on the way home - fairly late, I suppose - I was listening to my iPod and reading my new Brian Clough book, so I didn't hear the commotion that was going on up at the front (I always sit at the back of the bus if I can) until things had obviously deteriorated somewhat. A bit pissed, I looked up and could see a young man remonstrating with the driver through the closed door. The bus moved off, and then slowed almost immediately, and I could see through the windscreen the guy approaching the front of the bus on the road. I could hardly believe my eyes as he reached up and removed one of the windscreen wipers (they are very large). The driver got up, opened the doors and started running up the street after the assailant. Then, almost immediately, he came running back and jumped back into the driver's seat, with the guy half-heartedly following him. I couldn't figure out what was going on, because there was none of the usual verbals. The bus started again, and I could see the guy on the right hand side of the road, deliberately running into the path of the slow-moving bus, forcing the driver to stop in order to avoid hitting him. He did the same thing again on the left, and still there were no arguments between them, no shouting. Everyone on the bus seemed to be ignoring it, and then the guy just gave up and the bus pulled away. The next stop was mine, and I was a little nervous that I might see him and somehow become involved in the insanity, but it didn't happen and I arrived home unscathed in the middle of The Negotiation Limerick File.



So, on to pastures new next week. After 10 years of security, it's strange to be at the mercy of the world, looking for something new every year, and it doesn't seem to get any easier to deal with the new boy apprehension of starting in another job - despite the oddly incestuous nature of working in a city as large as London. For example, at my last workplace, the person who I was initially covering (for maternity leave) used to work with someone who took a job (not mine) at the place I left, and several of the contractors I had worked with before. Now, I'm moving to a government department which one of my best friends worked for up until just before Christmas, and I have been to the pub a couple of times with one of his friends and colleagues, who will soon be one of my customers. I realise that Facilities Management is a relatively small field, but all of that still seems somewhat coincidental. Not that I'm a superstitious man. Oh no.

I admit to feeling a little nervous about the assignment, which is scheduled to last for 12-14 months. There appears to be a serious amount of 'change management' involved, and that is never easy when one is providing a service. It's possible that this change (which looks to be fairly major) will work to my advantage, but equally possible that it will all go tits up. Only time will tell, and the clock starts ticking at 10.00 on Monday morning.

It does mean that I will have to postpone my driving test re-take, which was scheduled for January 17th, as I will be involved in orientation (it's a complex estate, and will take some getting to grips with) for the next couple of weeks.

Word.