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Author Topic: Frivolous memoirs of a blonde!  (Read 1444 times)
LinziHall
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Frivolous memoirs of a blonde! « Posted: 22 July 2009 at 06:58 PM »
SURFING IS AGAIN A WATER SPORT

With my afternoons’ work complete; I was hanging around for Martin to finish his phone call so I could brief him on my afternoon’s efforts. It had gone well and I was pleased. Looking around the door he saw me waiting, smiled and gestured that he would be 5 minutes or so. I acknowledged his signal and smiled back.  A new client, I liked Martin the first time I met him; despite that meeting being at the ungodly hour of 6:45 am during my first breakfast networking meeting for some years. He is a friendly and warm fellow, and I like warm people.

I wondered what to do to kill 5 minutes and suddenly realised I needed the toilet. I eventually found the toilet downstairs, after having walked into one or two offices by mistake, but thankfully everyone seemed to be out and the bottom floor vacant.

The deed done, I looked to wash my hands, and as is often the case in offices, the hot water was supplied by a little heater device on the wall. I turned the handle and received a trickle of warm water. Almost unconsciously, I washed my hands, and went to turn the water off. Oh! Perhaps I had turned it the wrong way as nothing happened and the water continued to flow. Again, with little thought I swung the lever in the other direction. With a pop and a huge gush of water, the lever and whatever is behind such things shot across the room, and a torrent of water shot out horizontally straight at my midriff. Panicked by this sudden and dramatic turn of events, I grabbed the towel and stuck it into the hole, desperately trying to stem the flood of water, but without much success. The sink below slowly but inevitably filled up, the volume of water too much for it. Stuck in position, I shouted out loudly for help, but nobody answered. Everyone was upstairs.

As in the parable, I stood there with my finger in the dyke; trying to stem the flow and unable to bring help. What a great introduction to a new client! I looked behind me and the lever and assembly was just out of reach. Should I try for it? I did, and as I ducked down I got another torrent into my face. I stuffed my prize into the hole and together with the towel and a little fiddling managed to stem the flow to a mere trickle accompanied with an occasional jet as I moved about, but I was still stuck. I tried shouting again ... I suddenly felt pathetic, stood there shouting like Penelope Pitstop .... HEYYYLLPPPP !!!

After a few minutes, I realised that I had my mobile with me, and with dexterity of which a limbo dancer would be proud, I managed to stretch for my bag while holding back the damn breach. I fumbled my phone in my left hand. Damn my pass code! One handed and after several failed attempts I managed to get in and find the number.

“Hello Martin ... errrrrr .... can I ask you to come down to the ladies pls? I have a bit of a problem.” What must he have thought? I shortly heard footstep on the stairs. Mercifully, I could reach the door lock, and as I opened the door Martin and Bernard stood there looking at a 6 foot tall, blonde, drowned rat ... holding a drenched towel against the heater and dodging jets of water. To their enormous credit, they managed to keep a straight face.

Rescued by Bernard, who gallantly took over damn breach duties, Martin set off to find the stop cock, with me squelching in his wake, apologising profusely and desperately embarrassed by the whole situation. Eventually we found it, and with the water off, Bernard was liberated. We looked at the lever and assembly and the plastic had sheared off completely. Crikey .... don’t know my own strength.

The irony of the whole situation is that I was there because their internet was playing up. Surfing is after all a water sport.
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“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.”
nikkai
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Re: Frivolous memoirs of a blonde! « Reply #1 Posted: 22 July 2009 at 08:10 PM »
You could say that you are    wait for it



AWASH WITH HELPFULL HANDS


shall I get me coat......
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LinziHall
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Re: Frivolous memoirs of a blonde! « Reply #2 Posted: 22 July 2009 at 08:16 PM »
Quote from: nikkai on 22 July 2009 at 08:10 PM
You could say that you are    wait for it



AWASH WITH HELPFULL HANDS


shall I get me coat......

Smiley
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“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.”
nikkai
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Re: Frivolous memoirs of a blonde! « Reply #3 Posted: 22 July 2009 at 08:19 PM »
So spill the beans! did you sort out the net probs and get taken for a meal as a thank you just before they gave you the bill for the damaged faucet??? laugh
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LinziHall
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Posts: 338
Re: Frivolous memoirs of a blonde! « Reply #4 Posted: 22 July 2009 at 08:25 PM »
Quote from: nikkai on 22 July 2009 at 08:19 PM
So spill the beans! did you sort out the net probs and get taken for a meal as a thank you just before they gave you the bill for the damaged faucet??? laugh

I sorted the net problems of course Smiley Didnt get a meal but a received a fullsome apology .... somehow !!
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“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.”
nikkai
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Re: Frivolous memoirs of a blonde! « Reply #5 Posted: 22 July 2009 at 08:52 PM »
I would have pressed for a meal then ?

now that would be telling now wouldn't it Grin

I have found out I am good at the tech stuff!

Well at work any way.. the normal thing to hear is

BERT CAN DO IT as IT stands for Information Technology (I think)  icon_scratch
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Chrissie
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Re: Frivolous memoirs of a blonde! « Reply #6 Posted: 02 August 2009 at 02:47 AM »
Hi Linzi

What a funny story and glad to see you back Smiley Smiley

Chrissie wave wave wave
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Perth , Western Australia
LinziHall
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Posts: 338
Re: Frivolous memoirs of a blonde! « Reply #7 Posted: 03 August 2009 at 06:12 PM »
Thanks Chrissie Smiley
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“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.”
LinziHall
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Posts: 338
Re: Frivolous memoirs of a blonde! « Reply #8 Posted: 03 August 2009 at 06:12 PM »
Old friends

I often hear said that you should never revisit places for which you have fond memories. Walking along a once well travelled street, inevitably; old haunts have been bulldozed or the wine bar you loved (and was carried out of one night on a first date .. err hem) is now a noisy and garish amusement arcade. Everything changes, and not always for the better.

With this in mind, it is always with some trepidation therefore that you meet an old friend of whom you have fond memories. The greatest fear is having nothing in common anymore and nothing to talk about. I recall one painful lunch with a friend with whom I once shared a house. We were as thick as thieves back in the 90’s. We partied together, did crazy stuff that I wouldn’t dare vocalise here and generally had a riot.  Yet, during that lunch we struggled to even strike a conversation. As one who is rarely lost for words, I ended up chatting to the couple on the table next to us. Yes it was pleasant to see her again, but we had absolutely nothing left in common. Her life was exclusively all about her husband and children, and she even seemed vaguely embarrassed when I started to reminisce about our previous exploits. I can honestly say that I was relieved when, rather formally, we said goodbye.

An ex boyfriend, a sage of wisdom whom ironically I have not seen for nearly 20 years, once said that meeting an old friend should be akin to slipping on a comfy pair of slippers and relaxing. No matter how much time has gone by, you can pick up like it was yesterday. There should be no reproach at the time past, just a slight regret that you didn’t send an email or pick up the phone more often.
Over the weekend, I had the enormous privilege of seeing a friend whom I haven’t seen since I was 18. That makes it .... well .....  more years than I care to remember since I saw him last. Any fears or anxieties were quickly dispelled, and just as James said all those years ago, it took just a few minutes of slight awkwardness before the metaphorical slippers came out and the years melted away. A “quick drink” before moving on to a previously organised party became a marathon of wine, food and catch-up into the early hours. I am just grateful that Annie is such an understanding sort and didn’t object to my absence later in the evening. I also apologise to Alice for my absence. I really hope we can meet up next time.

So if you get an email on Facebook from a vaguely remembered name, or a voice on the telephone from the distant past, I advise you to take a chance. Put aside any annoyance at time past or old quarrels, dust down your comfy slippers and prepare to be delighted. What have you got to lose?
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“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.”
Eileen
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Re: Frivolous memoirs of a blonde! « Reply #9 Posted: 04 August 2009 at 06:13 PM »
Wonderful story and advice Linzi.  I just reconnected with 3 sisiters and their parents who I knew from the time I was 2, until my mid 20's. Although it's only been via e-mail I have so enjoyed talking about the past and hearing their perspective on things (the oldest of them said she was in awe of my big brother which I found amusing as I was always in awe of her!)
I have found old friends and experienced the "nothing in common" thing too, it's sad but at least you can keep the good memories.
One odd thing that happened was that I met up with an old boyfriend after 25 years. We had dinner and drinks and then went for a walk on the beach front. At least 3 times I found myself almost going to hold his hand-it was weird but it wa as if that quarter century had disappeared.
(And now if he's reading this, he'll have heard that for the first time!!!)
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No trees were harmed as a result of this post, however a large number of electrons were temporarily inconvenienced.
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