Friday 28 August 2009
Nat
Thursday 27 August 2009
Posh Anthony
Tuesday 25 August 2009
Ariel
We were slightly concerned that this was going to get in the way of our lunching.
Then we had a brainwave. We could take out people from our office every day.
We will have one rule. It can't be anyone we've talked to too much already, so that they are as 'stranger' as possible.
It's sad, but going out and stranger hunting for 2 hours a day when you've just started a job, might end up making a bad impression.
So number one is Ariel.
We picked her because she seems so smiley.
I was in the loo this morning putting on my make up. I'd forgotten to lock the door.
Ariel walks in. Oops sorry etc is said. But rather than shutting the door again and leaving me to it Ariel comes in and starts putting on her make up too.
This little incident made me think quite fondly of Ariel. So we invited her out with us.
A slightly difficult thing to explain on your first day at work.
'Hi, we have a blog where we take random people out every day. Seeing as we work now we can't do that, so we want to take random people from this office out. And write about it. Wanna come to lunch with us?'
This kind of shenanigans could get us a rep as a couple of weirdos.
Ariel took it in her stride though bless her.
Seeing as she's only been working there herself for a few weeks lunch breaks are a luxury she can't really afford.
Ariel did however let us walk to Pret with her.
Ariel working away while she eats. Lets hope this doesn't interfere with her digestion.
So Ariel, sweetie that she is comes over and says sorry that we couldn't have a proper lunch chat, but that if we want to e mail her over any questions she will answer them via virtual lunch chat.
What a brilliant idea. And a totally new way for us to lunch, which we are always up for.
So these were our questions.
And these were her answers.
Don't judge.
Why are you called Ariel?
What's your favourite animal and why?
If you had to describe yourself, what would you say?
What do you look for in a guy?
Do you have any birth marks or scars?
What are you most proud of?
What has made you the most sad?
What's your favourite song and why?
What world problem would you solve and how?
Now this new virtual way of lunching isn't ideal. You can't read between sandwiches and really get a vibe for someone. Plus I think the lunchee has too much time to think of the answers. Maybe if it was via chat it would be better. But I think it's testament to Ariel's lovely shining personality that she felt bad she couldn't properly lunch with us, understood our weird request without a flinch, and figured out a way she could help us as best she can. So thanks for that Ariel. If we get to know you better maybe one day we'll buy you a giraffe.
Our little lunch. Ariel was only a few desks away, so it was like she was still there with us.
Walking back from Pret.
This should be an ad for Pret.
In fact this whole blog should be an ad for Pret.
If only we always used Pret sandwiches...
Friday 21 August 2009
Canary Wharf Chris
Chris wouldn't have his picture taken, which is why Sophie did this beautiful drawing of him. As someone who was there, I can confirm that it is a pretty good likeness.
We lunched with Chris in Cafe Nerro in Canary Wharf. Panini, coffee and cake. Yum.
We hit Canary Wharf hoping to get a banker. So we were 2 girls jollying round canary wharf approaching men, asking if they were bankers and then asking them to lunch with us. We realised, after 2 rejections, that we looked like a couple of extremely unsubtle gold diggers.
Chris isn't a banker. He is an in house doctor for a bank. So there are no excuses for not coming into work. Chris' insight into bankers? If you are a banker you love stress. Otherwise you wouldn't do it.
So less about banking, more about Chris...
I would say our conversation could be divided into two halves. Polite. And Paranormal.
In the polite half we chatted about banking, hobbies, being a doctor and his kids and stuff.
The paranormal half was much more interesting. And came later, after he had loosened up a bit.
Beneath Chris's respectable, stuffyish, scientific exterior, lies a man who believes he has a guardian angel. He doesn't know who, but he believes it is a child who died young.
Chris is a man who has premonitions. He describes this as having 'a strong sense of something happening, which makes him feel unsettled, on edge or uncomfortable.' Then something happens, and the feeling goes away. He cannot predict exactly what will happen. An example he gave was one morning when he woke with a strong feeling that someone would die. Later that day a random person on the street collapsed in front of him. And he resuscitated them. He said this modestly; he had a premonition and saved a life. I think that this is wonderful.
Chris believes that most people have this ability. But that not everyone will give their psychic senses time or acknowledge them.
I think Chris enjoyed talking with us about his senses and feelings. I sense that he doesn't talk about this part of himself much. I think that the anonymity of canary wharf cafe nerro and two probing strangers revealed a side of him that few probably see. Which is likely the reason why he didn't want us to take a picture of him. Or give us his full name.
Chris did allow us to take a picture of his shoes!
And what lovely shoes they are.
Chris left us with some words of wisdom on how to have a happy marriage. So if you are married or thinking about it, maybe you can learn something from Chris here.
Never give up (if it's right). Marriage is hard because at the end of the day you are an individual. Trust to give each other freedom. Let each other be an individual. It's worth it to have a soul mate. There are different kinds of attraction. Marry someone you want to share things with. Too many people expect the 'he's fit' stage to last for more than 5 minutes. You don't know until you have experienced different relationships. Don't get married until you are 30. Like music you can love a song and 6 months later you think, why did I like that?
But there are some songs you never got bored of.
Like Bob Dylan's Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands.
If you've got a minute, why don't you Spottify this track and give a thought to Chris.
Amazing bloke found in the driest of places.
Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel?
Thursday 20 August 2009
Smokey Robinson
Our luncher today didn't want to tell us his name. We asked what he would like to be called? Smokey Robinson- His favourite musician.
We'd like it if you would spottify Smokey Robinson while you read the rest of this post. I like to think his taste in music reveals a romantic soul beneath his drunken exterior.
Smokey lives on the street, round Kings Cross and Euston. He drinks. He doesn't take drugs.
We asked him if he wanted to have lunch with us and he seemed confused. He was pretty confused for most of the conversation. He'd go in and out of lucidity.
He didn't mind what kind of sandwich we bought him, so long as it wasn't ham. And his eyes lit up when we offered him crisps and orange juice and a bottle of water. "I like water" he said as if surprised by some old memory of drinking something that wasn't 'White Ace'. He asked us to buy him a 'drink'. A bit of a moral dilemma, but seeing as he was pretty shifty about having his photo taken we decided to trade in our consciences for a few photos.
I had a couple of uncomfortable moments with Smokey. Sat with him eating a sandwich and having our picture taken he put his hand on my leg and asked if would have sex with him. No I said. That's not what this is about. He seemed to get the hint and backed off quite quickly.
Later on, as we walked back from the shop, jaunty with the white ace inside him, he grabbed me and tried to kiss me to say 'Thankyou' for buying him his beloved drink.
As nice as this sentiment was, the act was not appreciated and has left one half of me smelling pretty musty. I can't blame Smokey though really. I did buy him a drink. And he was just trying his luck.
I wonder if Smokey ever gets to have sex. If he ever kisses someone. If anyone ever hugs him, or even strokes his arm lightly. If he ever has a proper conversation or a real interaction outside of his drunken haze.
Smokey didn't know why he was on the street. He didn't know if he had ever been married. He didn't know when his parents died. He didn't know where he normally slept. He didn't know anything. Questions, particularly about his past seemed to trouble him. He most seemed to like to talk in the now.
He became his most lively when he walked us to his 'favourite shop' to buy his 'favourite drink'. Cider. Smokey likes cider, likes beer and loves vodka. But white ace is his favourite.
We managed to get a few things out of smokey. It was tough.But what we learned about Smokey was:
His parents were separated, one lived in London, one lived in Nottingham. he was always trying to track them down. Find their addresses.
His Mum went to church.
Smokey studied physics at university.
He still goes to church every day and says his prayers every night. Despite his penchant for the drink and the casual molestation of girls a third of his age Smokey has a faith and a belief in God.
He showed us his church. And went there after he said bye to us.
We asked Smokey of he had any advice for us. He didn't. I asked him if he would advise us to drink, or not to drink. Drink, he said, without hesitation.
The overall feeling that Smokey has left with me, is that it's amazing the way that faith stays with people.I'm pleased that Smokey has God, and I hope that God looks after him.
Wednesday 19 August 2009
Alex- A Man of Many Talents
Hey, he looks a little bit like Ricky Gervais doesn't he!?
Eating some sushi (too good for the likes of our M and S Sandwich)
Alex is one of those people who has crammed a lot into life. A risk taker. Someone who has an idea and runs with it. He didn't say this. But that's the jist of him we think.
Here are some of the strings to Alex's bow. He makes social documentaries; his most recent film focused on charity workers on the front line in South Africa. He owns a giant sustainable living farm in South Devon. Kind of like a commune without the hippies. Teenagers can go to his farm to learn that potatoes don't grown in Tesco. In 1999 he set up the first internet TV channel for London. He started out in computing, where he wrote software for banks, making enough cash to support his other/ extra curricular ventures.
He also has a friend who's job is to research fun for a millionaire!!!
We learned all this in 20 minutes of sandwiches and sushi. I have a feeling that if we had spent another 20 minutes with Alex he would have reeled off another load of random jobs and ventures. A man who isn't short of stories.
I decided to note take with Alex. We don't note take with everyone. But he seemed like the kind of man who would appreciate this sort of conscientiousness.
Here he's giving us a couple of his websites.
If you wanna learn more about Alex go to
www.bigetc.tv
www.embercombe.co.uk
I would say in some ways that Alex is the epitome of a successful man. A man who eats sushi in Embankment park on his monthly business trips up to London from his farm in Devon. A man who has made films, worked in banks, helped teenagers and was there at the beginning of the Internet. If Alex is successful, what can we learn about success from him? Have an air of calm about you. Be open and friendly to girls doing experiments in parks (he was definitely our least resistant luncher). Be a little bit full of yourself, but not too much. If you are working a money job, that you don't really like, use the money to fund something that excites you. and if you have an idea, that you think will work, then just do it. Thanks Alex.
Tuesday 18 August 2009
Lovely Indian couple
An Indian couple in Hyde Park. They were only in London for 2 days and we had the pleasure of spending one of their lunches with them. What did they eat? some largely chickpea based snacks. What did we eat? Sandwiches. Sticking to the cultural stereotypes.
Now these guys were literally some of the loveliest people in the world. They sat with us, offered us some of their chana dahl and even gave us their address in case we are ever in India. And you know what, I think if we were to follow up on this kind offer they would welcome us into their home with open arms. Not because we are especially nice, but because they are.
We offered them some of our sandwiches and cake in return. The man nibbled a bit of the corner of mine politely after checking if it was vegetarian. Yes 2 vegetarians in a row.
The man led the conversation, largely he wanted to talk to us about education. he was quite a philosophical type of a bloke and left us with this sage piece of advice:
Life is only 15000 days. Out of all these only a third are our own. Use it to make friendship.
I like to think that we made a friendship today. Maybe not a long lasting one. Maybe not a geographically sensible one. But a good solid hour of lunch friendship.
His advice to us was "Try and make peace". His wife's advice. The same. Indian women don't think for themselves, they think through their husband, he explained smiling. This guy was no chauvinist, just a gentle traditionalist. And they seemed happy to me. Happy in their clearly defined rolls.
So again, much was learned. These folk really warmed our souls.