h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is for my own benefit rather than anyone else's... As it'll probably not mean much to anyone else.

Spent my first week at work - back after three weeks holiday and am suffering from the blues - won't be seeing my son for three weeks as he's now on holiday with his mum - have an emotional 'love' life that's completely screwed up and insanely compliated, have been seconded to another company and am living out of a suitcase in a miniscule, boiling hot studio flat 200 miles from by own home and it was 97°F in the shade this afternoon... (Oh, and the actual work I'm doing is very stressful and sucks big time!)

All in all, not a recipe for a happy, contented Whisky you might think.

So after work this evening, I come back to my cupboard of a flat, decide I can't stick staring at four walls all evening so, despite the fact I hate going to a restaurant alone, I grab the nearest book (without even checking the title) and head out of the door looking for somewhere/something to eat.

The food was, if I was objective about it, probably nothing special, but, for some obscure reason, the combination of a restaurant terrace in a small french market town, the company of Ernest Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea - which I actually picked up in a second hand bookshop a couple of weeks ago, a slight breeze to counter the heat of the evening (still well over 80°F), a guitarist in the background singing Spanish folk songs (quite why he was singing spanish songs in the middle of France I don't know) and three hours taken over a meal, have left me feeling about ten years younger, completely calm and happier in my own company than I've felt for years...

Just a combination of things that turned a lousy week into a near perfect evening

Dear Whisky

Qu'elle joie de vous retrouver (What joy to find you again)

One of my very first friends on h2g2

So glad that the French food and ambience made you feel good again.

Are you still living in the same part of France - near those caves if I remember correctly?

I am getting very old, and sadly am in the process of losing jy memory which I am desperately trying to save by doing brain exercises.

Go well my dear friend,


AlsoRan 80/82

I had one of those moments a few weeks ago. It was in the Trafford Centre in Manchester - a place I'd usually feel very nervy inside. But we had a wait in hand and took the most wonderfully leisurely time over an extended brunch. It was once of the lovliest experiences I've had.

I wish you more of them.

A pearl, that's what it was.

Someone (long ago forgotten who) said that life should be about collecting pearls of perfect moments, a whole necklace of them, so that - when you grow old - you have something to look back to and remember with fondness.

It's also good to know that you can be content in your own company. A very valuable asset!

So where is "200 miles from where I live" and how much longer do you have to stick it out?

What a lovely analogy Titania!

I'll second the comment about the lovely analogy... Pearls are extremely rare, but it's a wonderful surprise when one just appears out of nowhere when you're not expecting anything.

Working in a small town about half an hour from Avignon in the South of France... Been stuck here since the end of January, and to be honest, I'm not sure how much longer I'll actually be here... It could be the end of September, it could be Christmas, it might even be longer... Theoretically I could turn round to my boss back in Lyon and say I wanted to come back home tomorrow... But given that there's a horrendous economic crisis going on, and that the job I'm doing is bringing in huge amounts of money, I wouldn't feel right throwing away a contract that's currently worth about 10% of our company's turnover, just because the job's ruddy awful.

Very wise decision and wise man

Nice to know that it was you and the old brain box was operating successfully. !!


Doctor Dickybird - a name which I had forgotten. !Strokes and all that. A real bore as one advamces in years.
now known as
AlsoRan80

I think I could use something like that now.