The Summer of '93

On the road to Edinburgh

Life had been so frantic, and days had been so painfully long from the start of March. I was covering Edinburgh, two councils in Wales, delivering training to them too. I felt like I was only home to have a change of clothes through the washing machine and catching up on sleep. Each Friday I left after a full day and had to drive back home. I was never back before ten. 

I felt like home was the hotel now, and I was constantly on the road. The salespeople were frantically lining up Councils for sales demonstrations. Mailshots were being sent out all over the Country, to both old and new customers to pay for the investment into the new products that had been redeveloped. Such an investment was risky and costly. Profits too, in reselling hardware were reducing as the market became more competitive. To try and entice customers they were giving training away free which really would impact me over the coming months. 

I had just spent money on a new suit. My favourite colour was teal and this was such a stunning colour. I had snapped it up. The trouble was it didn't wear well. Every time I took it on the road with me it creased and the irons in the accommodation simply failed in their task to unwrinkle it.  At one demonstration a lady stopped me and asked me some questions about the software. She then added "Have you travelled far?"

"I stayed last night, we travelled from Leeds."

"So did they not have an iron in your room?"

That hurt. It was almost new. I had sprayed it with water and even tried putting it through a hotel trouser press. I didn't know what else to try. I smiled at her and left her alone. 

One of my University friends Mark, had asked me to help him when we graduated. He had such debts from his studies that he had bad credit. Because I had made the financial decision to stay at home and worked part time it was manageable. However that decision had had an impact on my grades. But Mark now wanted a Nintendo and they were £230. It was a fantastic console but impossible for him to buy outright so I had bought it and he had paid for it. Now I could buy one second hand for £30. Given I was away so much I decided to indulge so I had something to do other than watch TV. I did think about studying but University had knocked the desire for learning on the head for now. I was wearying of the Marathon that it has been.

It was was usual for me to get back from training in Wales and Sarah, one of the trainers had her birthday and she invited us over. Sarah was 29 – it's so amusing to think that as a 23 year old this age difference was monumental! She had this strange relationship with her boyfriend Tom; he wasn't for marriage. She declared that she also wasn't for marriage but it was clear in her heart of hearts she was at a loss as to why he wouldn't marry her. To her it was his defiance that kept her striving to win that ring. 

Her hair was brown; she never let the roots show. The dye had been applied so many times that it was blocked coloured now and it bothered her. I think she said she'd been grey since her late teens. Sarah had vivid blue eyes and had the sort of skin that didn't need makeup. She only decorated her eyelashes with a sweep of mascara. When Sarah walked it was an awkward heavy walk somehow, with her stance pushed forward on the ball of her feet. She was always immaculately dressed, in a black suit from Dorothy Perkins. It always caught my attention that she had quite a masculine tone to her voice, very often topped off with a big dollop of sarcasm and a gritty, heavy guffaw followed the punch of humour she thought she had delivered. When I drove behind her in our Company Astras her break lights never lit up. That was her driving style and I was always careful that I didn't end up in the back of her car.

However this particular journey back from Wales had been very memorable. I had taken a wrong turning, which in that part of the world was very easy. This was during the days before GPS satellite navigation. I found my way with a UK road atlas poised on the front seat. How I was supposed to find my way with few signs (each translated carefully into Welsh first) was beyond me. However the detour was worth it. I passed Caerphilly Castle which was a very welcome surprise and was simply spectacular! The glint of white from the drawbridge caught my eye and it's presence of turrets and stature was breathtaking. However the detour during the journey delayed me somewhat and so I reached my office at 13:30. After such a tiring drive I then found that the sales team had arranged a software demonstration. Part of my role was providing a pre-sales service. To catch up with my workload for the day I had to stay behind until 9pm. I was fuming. The expectations of hours we were expected to do, were too great.