The Summer of '93

It was on the cards

As to the training day, It was incessant. The trainees were complete novices and they were particularly difficult to orchestrate. It's unbelievable what they try to do. I took so much for granted. One student was trying to add text by touching the display! How impossible that was. I remember the delegate that brought a bottle of tippex to use on the screen. Then there was the student that thought the cd drive was to rest the coffee on. It was a challenging world for an IT trainer. I know it was a complex package to learn but they were so unmotivated. I received staff who loathed their jobs, who didn't like change and didn't clearly want to be in a training course. It was an up hill struggle to turn them around and skill them up.

I bumped into my friend Rhys who worked there and we'd been to University together. We went for lunch. He asked if I wanted to go out that evening but I was really tired and I'd had my covering letter to do for this job I was looking to apply for.

There was a fabulous Chinese Restaurant that I couldn't stop ordering from. I would quietly take it to my room. I thought about this job. I stared out Of the room's bay window, that overlooked onto the main Street.  I mulled over my next options. I loved Oxford. I loved Edinburgh. I had lived in Leeds most of my life and I craved a change. Of all the places I'd travelled to it had given me the impetus to move. It's difficult morally because Mum, although she's got Palmer, there's a lot of guilt moving away, especially so far. The trouble for me is that if the right job came along abroad, I would consider moving like a shot. I just loved the mediterranean and part of the love of Dionisis was the love of the world that he came from. I loved the Greek culture so much and the language, and the people. Athens was a complete joy for me. It had everything; Greek mythology, history, weather, architecture,  jewellery...I just loved everything about it. I wasn't stupid to comprehend that each Country has it's downsides but it was so appealing, even for just a year. What about a holiday rep?

I had made the decision to move and I knew the holiday at Christmas was likely to be the last for a while. It was unnerving but an exciting opportunity, all the same.

Dionisis never left me. He haunted my dreams constantly like an unwanted phantom and I tried to ignore my feelings and put that traumatic time behind me. It was still all very raw.

Work was uphill. I had encountered a difficult trainee. I rang Rhys and we met outside and I offered to drive him home. His driving was a bit erratic like his temper; Rhys had written off his car. In this case though it wasn't his fault and it was good to see a friendly face who had been my friend for years. Rhys invited me back to his home. I was a bit nervous about meeting his family. I had spoken to them a few occasions on the phone. We drove back to his house and he insisted that I had tea. His Father was just an older version of him. He had the same mannerisms. It was quite uncomfortable that Rhys' Father made a couple of insinuations that I may be his girlfriend. I had an unconfirmed reminder to being with Quig. Why can't people leave that conversation be? Rhys tucked into and demolished a steak. It was particularly revolting when Rhys' Mother suggested that he gave over the rare steak's blood juices to the cat who had been watching the eating activity with close attention. Every fork and every morsel in the mouth was studied by this little feline. Being vegetarian I was suddenly not hungry. It was lovely to chat to them once we got passed the unwelcome hints,  as I knew Rhys so well. We sat as a 'family' and watched the Fugitive. Rhys could be hard to keep the conversation going with at times. His Mother was a supply school teacher. I was reminded of my missing Ali as the film had scenes of Pipe bands. After the movie I drove Rhys to the pub. He drained a pint glass and I demolished a dessert. It was a very pleasant evening and I returned him home after last orders. I was shattered and bed was very welcome.

It as good to drive home after a very long day in the classroom. I missed Ali's call. I got him later.

"Have you been missing me?"