I went for a walk on my lunch break today. I’ve been meaning to look at Tobacco Dock in Wapping for a little while so out I strode, only to discover this potential tourist attraction effectively boarded up. If any one wants to open a shop they’re more than welcome; plenty of space, and employee overheads are currently at a minimum. Only one “security guard” to keep the tourists away.
Unbeaten I decided to search further afield. I discovered hidden waterside apartments, black lagoons (okay, Shadwell Basin, but the water was very black), and even some fauna that was not restricted to bi-pedal movements. Had it been a sunnier day it may have been a very pleasant walk.
Here it is…
But. It’s very noisy. Very noisy. There is a noise that sounds like a wheezing emphysema sufferer thumping their lungs metronomically against a brick wall in a futile attempt to undo all those hard years in servitude to the cause of their ailment. I wish it had been that sufferer because the truth became as troubling as if I’d landed on the Golgafrincham ‘B’ Ark.
The cause? Joggers. Joggers, more joggers, and yet even more joggers. Clearly all out out on their own respective lunch breaks. An hour away from the cubicle-cells to the exercise yard (that just happens to be someone’s home) that is, at any other time of day, a peaceful residential area.
Now, I might sound a little Prole-ier than thou in saying this but I was timely reminded of the film scene where Brian of Nazareth vainly attempts to convince the multitudes that they’re all individuals and yes, they’re all different.
I stopped feeling sorry for the home-owners and pitied (albeit briefly) the repetitive strain of corporate identity.
In my previous life, I was stuck in one of those cubicles before my escape
Here we have the lesser spotted cubicle sheep in it’s natural habitat, the office cubicle. The LSCS is a solitary animal, afraid of most human contact and it always backs down when confronted by it’s only known predator – the management a’hole. To keep up it’s strength the LSCS takes time during it’s lunch hour to gather in a flock with other LSCS to go jogging. The only other time that the LSCS can be seen in flocks like this is when they can be seen visiting the prairie’s many watering holes to drown their sorrows.
And the sorrows were taken care of heavily and regularly.