We Came To Dance

My Dear Princess & Dear Fellows,

Normally, Smock, Lemon and I sit in a row in the same bank of desks every day. 

Although we are hot-deskers at MPI, I get in at 7:15 and take the first desk and then the other two sit right next to me. It suits us, because it's one of the few banks of three desks in a row. The rest are just for two.

But for the past few days our bank of three desks has been INVADED. STOLEN by the "Desktop Team". These young rapscallions must get in at quarter past effing sparrow's fart and - DESPITE THE FACT THEY HAVE THE WHOLE EFFING OFFICE TO CHOOSE FROM - have decided they are going to take our three desks.

But I am nothing if not petty, so I got in before all three of them arrived today and sat with the other two.

HA.

This did mean I wasn't sitting near Smock and Lemon, but actually this is no bad thing. Smock, as I may have mentioned, annoys the effing shit out of me anyway by interrupting my podcast and music listening to regale me with stories of how she's going to get some fish from the shop at lunchtime. Or how Carsten is wearing a new hat.

Lemon is actually good value, and for the most part I enjoy her chat. But  on the downside, she is one of those indecisive questioners. You know the sort of person I mean? The sort who goes... "Oh. Hey... Um...?"

And then when you've taken out your earphones and said, "Yes?" they say, "Oh. Never mind."

And then two minutes later. "Oh, but wait..."

"Yes?"

"No. No. It's all right. I think I understand how this works now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes. Oh..."

"WHAT? WHAT IS IT?"

"Oh nothing..."

I swear she does it to wind me up some days.

So today I was sitting with two socially inept geeks who talked only to each other and only about video games. I decided to go Back To The 80's. I focused on the "New Romantic" years and had great fun singing (in my head) to Is It A Dream?, Party Fears Two, Drowning In Berlin, Echo Beach, Lucky Number, I Won't Let You Down, It's My Party and I'm In Love With A German Film Star.

I miss the bands who recorded those songs. They were the sort of bands who didn't dance at all. In fact they barely moved. They would perform songs like Fade To Grey looking motionless and cool and full of ennui. And their videos would feature artistic shots of glasses breaking in slow-motion and doves flying away (also in slow-motion).

It was all very meaningful and deep and angst-ridden, is what I am saying. You don't get that with all this modern jigging about. Also, it was easier at school discos in our day. You just sort of wandered about to the music, avoiding each others gaze, and looking really bored, like the girls in The Human League.

And so I spent my day thinking about that and before I knew it, the day was over. I hope I get to sit with The Desktop Boys again tomorrow.

Incidentally, "The Desktop Boys" would have been a BRILLIANT name for a New Romantic band.

S.