My month's notice was up today at work and I am free. I have felt demob happy for the past week or so, a feeling that has grown as my leaving date approached and the amount of work I had to do dwindled. Today, I have written around eight useful paragraphs; yesterday wasn't much more productive. I feel I would have been better employed staying at home.Instead, I played a few rounds of word association email with my editor. The final one started with Stalin and ended with golf, meandering via The Ronettes, Rowan Atkinson and Marmite on the way. I then had my own meander round t'internet, starting again from Comrade Stalin, via the Cold War to the BBC's espionage timeline which was a wonderful launch pad into the world of the Cambridge spies (I had an art teacher who claimed to have been taught by Anthony Blunt: "I always thought he was shifty" she used to say), through death by umbrella at London bus stops to David Shayler, who I recalled had recently developed something of the David Ickes.
I interviewed David Icke many moons ago, when he was on a speaking tour. This was when he was in his turquoise shellsuit phase before he decided that the world was ruled by an elite group of giant lizards. Although he had not reached that point, he was on the brink: he didn't once look at me when answering my questions, rather he gazed at a distant corner of the ceiling as though channelling proclamations from the mothership.
However, after setting off on the trail of Mr Shayler, I believe that rather than being touched by the David Ickes, he has been touched by tongue-in-cheekism. His website ('I'm Brian and so is my wife') has convinced me of that. I almost emailed him to thank him for cheering up a turgid Tuesday afternoon.
I then spent a pleasant 10 minutes munching cherry liqueur chocolates and gazing out of the window, imagining my life as a spy. However, I must realistically conclude that after a few G&Ts, I may be as indiscreet as the talkative Mr Shayler.
So, rather than MI5 or 6, it's back to the world of straight journalism in the New Year for me. But now I must dash - Spooks starts shortly .....
12 comments:
Marvellous to hear from you again, m&m. A new dawn for you is it? Smashing.
(I'm not really meaning this, but my take on 'When one door closes', is 'another one slams in your face.) Hmm.. Not for you, though, not at all. xx
Hope you have a good break between this job and the next (long enough to relax, not enough to go broke)and can spend time with the Lady Grey.
Congratulations on your freedom - I'm envious. I've got to get through to tomorrow lunchtime before packing up for Christmas - I'm supposed to be updating a website right now.
Like Mopsa, hope you get a decent break before the next job, you deserve it!
Ta! I am on hols now and I start my new job on 2 January. I am very excited about it and looking forward to a decent Christmas break - I was ill last Christmas and spent much of it coughing my guts up in bed.
When I was young (now there's and old persons thing to say), I used to get an endorphin rush from storming out of jobs. To this day there has never been anything quite like the sense of freedom this brings. I can highly recommend it. Good luck in your next job.
It's a marvellous feeling - enjoy! Do hope the Grey Mare is fine and dandy.
Enjoy! Hope the mare is well enough to accompany in your freedom.
I'd have loved to be an MI5 operative. All that hanging around in black trench coat with a hi tech walkie talkie thing in one hand and handsome Russian defector in the other. Ah, in another life!
good luck in your new job x
Good Luck, m&m, with the new job!
Onwards and upwards for the New Year.
oh how exciting for you! Of course it's all a front and that was an oblique way of telling us you are in actual fact a spy. But whatever it is you're up to in 2008, have a lovely Christmas!
Pigx
Enjoy Christmas with the Grey Mare and good luck with the new job.
I was going to join MI5, but then I found out that Rupert Penry Jones is really only an actor, sigh
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